REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
ARMY

KOPASSUS - ARMY SPECIAL FORCE COMMAND

COMMANDO SPECIAL FORCE BADGE

OBSELETE - OLD DESIGN

Shoulder Insignia of the Kopassus.
Active	April 16, 1952 - Present
Country	Indonesia
Branch	Indonesian Army
Type	Special Forces
Role	Group 1 & 2 -Special Operation forces, Unconventional Warfare, Counter-Insurgency,Special Reconnaissance, Direct Action Group 3 - Combat Intelligence Group 4 - Training Group 5, Also known as SAT-81 Gultor - Counter Terrorism
Size	Classified
Part of	Indonesian National Armed Forces Tentara National Indonesia (Indonesian)
Garrison/HQ	Batu Jajar , West Java
Nickname	Kopassus
Motto	Berani , Benar ,Berhasil
Colors	Red beret
Engagements	Putting down Local rebellion- 1950s Western New Guinea - 1961-1962 Indonesia-Malaysia confrontations - 1963-1965 Indonesian Communist Insurgency - 1965 East Timor military campaign (Seroja Operation) - 1975 The Hijacking of Garuda Flight GA 206 (Woyla Operation) - 1981 -See the operations for detail
Commanders
Current commander	See the List of Kopassus Commanders

Kopassus, abbreviation for Komando Pasukan Khusus (Army Special Force Command) is an Indonesian Army special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering. Kopassus was founded on April 16, 1952. The Special Forces quickly made their mark by spearheading some of the government's military campaigns: putting down regional rebellions in the late 1950s, the Western New Guinea campaign in 1960, the confrontation against Malaysia in 1964, the crushing of the communist forces in 1965, the East Timor military campaign in 1975, and the subsequent campaigns against separatism, terrorism, or anyone considered a threat to the Suharto regime.

General Moerdani, although he never held the leadership baton, was one of the most prominent Kopassus alumni, having served in the command from its early years.

Kopassus is considered one of the best special forces units in the Pacific and South East Asia. On the other hand, the name of the unit is linked to numerous severe violations of human rights, especially in East Timor, Aceh and Papua, as well as on some occasions in the capital Jakarta itself. Not only in the publications of radical groups but also in many articles and news items published in mainstream media, epithets such as "the notorious Kopassus" precede the unit's name.

On April 15, 1952, Colonel Alexander Evert Kawilarang laid the foundation for Kesatuan Komando Tentara Territorium III/Siliwangi (Kesko TT), the early name of Kopassus.

The impetus for building this special force was provided from an experience of frustration when fighting against the troops of the RMS (Republik Maluku Selatan or Republic of the South Moluccas) forces, which were supported by two companies of KST (Korps Speciale Troepen). The Indonesians on the spot were amazed with KST's ability and skills, especially its men's sniping. They were then inspired to build a similar force for Indonesia. However, at that time, neither of the Indonesian commanders had any experience or skill in special operations. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Colonel Slamet Riyadi would not see his dream realized due to his death in a battle against the troops of the RMS.

Not long after, with the use of military intelligence, Colonel Kawilarang located and met with Major Rokus Bernardus Visser - a former member of the Dutch Special Forces who had remained in independent Indonesia, settled in West Java, married an Indonesian woman, and was known locally as Mohamad Idjon Djanbi. He was the first recruit for the Indonesian special force, as well as its first commander. Due to him, the unit adopted a Red Beret similar to that of the Dutch Special Forces, which is still in use by the present Kopassus.

At that time, Indonesia's special force name was the Third Territorial Command or Komando Teritorium Tiga (KTT). It later went through no less than five name changes, going from KTT to KKAD, RPKAD, Kopasandha, and finally, Kopassus. Headquartered in Bandung, the first generation of Indonesian Forces was only around a hundred soldiers or one company.

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