Military Training?

Red Cross volunteers to undergo military training

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 02/06/2010 6:11 PM | National

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) will select 60 volunteers for a rigorous training under tutelage of the Special Force instructors.

PMI chief Jusuf Kalla said the special training would help prepare the volunteers for humanitarian missions in difficult terrains.

“We have received offers from the Mobile Brigade, the Special Force and the Marines,” Kalla told Antara on his way to Yogyakarta on Saturday.

The special physical training will be given to PMI volunteers who live in Surabaya and Jakarta. “It’s only a small team, not all the volunteers will undergo training,” Kalla said.

The volunteers, he added, would be fielded only for disaster mitigation works that require high-level skill due to the demanding challenges they would face. Kalla said the volunteers would be armed with the best equipment.

“We are still negotiating the cooperation offer, technicalities and the place where the training will be held,” said Kalla.