Works by Serving and Retired Officers Featured at Inaugural Event
Every Air Force officer carries knowledge and experience gained over a lifetime of service. Much of that knowledge remains in personal memory and conversation, with relatively little committed to writing for future generations. Recognizing this, the Indonesian Air Force Retirees Association (PPAU) has launched Book Conversations (Bincang Buku) as a forum for reading, discussion, and the creation of more books by members of the Air Force community.
The inaugural event took place on Tuesday morning at the PPAU office in Persada Purnawira, Halim Air Force Base, Jakarta, in a warm and collegial atmosphere. Planned as a monthly program, Book Conversations brings together retired officers, serving personnel, and the wider Air Force community to discuss ideas presented in books. It also offers PPAU a means of preserving knowledge and experience across generations.
The event was led by PPAU Executive Chairman Air Marshal (Ret.) Wieko Syofyan and attended by members of the association and its central leadership. Several officials from Indonesian Air Force Headquarters were also present, including Air Commodore Nyoman, Head of the Air Force Information Service, the Head of the Air Force Historical Service, and Air Vice-Marshal Palito Sitorus, Assistant for Territorial Affairs. Their attendance demonstrated support for a literary initiative that connects retirees with those still in active service.
The first meeting featured two books written by officers from different generations. Colonel Martinus, who remains on active duty, and Air Commodore (Ret.) Dr. Agus Purwo. This pairing illustrates one of the program’s strengths. The experience of retired officers can meet the perspectives of serving personnel, with both examined and enriched through open discussion.
The proceedings began with the singing of the national anthem, Indonesia Raya, followed by a prayer and introductory remarks from the PPAU Executive Chairman . Air Marshal (Ret.) Wieko Syofyan.
Air Chief Marshal (Ret.) Chappy Hakim and PPAU Senior Adviser Air Vice-Marshal (Ret.) F.X. Soejitno also expressed their appreciation for the initiative. According to Soejitno, activities of this kind can contribute significantly to the intellectual development of the Air Force community. “This is a very positive activity and should be continued,” he said. Air Vice-Marshal (Ret.) Imam Wahyudi moderated the discussion.
The launch of Book Conversations also draws attention to a broader task: strengthening the habits of reading and writing. Concern about limited engagement with both activities often arises in discussions of intellectual life. A meaningful response begins with habits cultivated consistently within one’s own community. The Air Force community can contribute by making books a regular subject of lively conversation.
Writing holds particular significance for officers approaching retirement. They possess decades of experience and specialized knowledge acquired through service. Their insights into leadership, education, operations, flight safety, aircraft maintenance, organizational development, and decision-making are seldom found in formal textbooks. Such knowledge deserves to be recorded, especially in books, so that it does not remain confined to individual memory or a small circle of colleagues.
A book need not recount successes alone. Difficulties encountered, decisions that merit reconsideration, and lessons drawn from changing circumstances may be equally valuable to readers. When recorded honestly and carefully, a retired officer’s experience can become a resource for younger officers, researchers, students, and the wider public. In this way, retirees can continue to serve through the sharing of knowledge and contribute to the national aspiration of advancing public education.
Reading and writing reinforce one another. Reading introduces people to ideas beyond their own experience, while writing requires them to organize their knowledge and reflections clearly enough for others to understand and examine. Serving officers, too, can contribute by writing about the challenges they face today, keeping the dialogue with retired generations relevant and productive.
For these reasons, Book Conversations has the potential to encourage a sustained culture of reading and writing within the Air Force. Each monthly meeting can invite participants to read a work closely, raise questions, and record responses or relevant experiences. Over time, these habits may give rise to more articles, memoirs, studies, and books by members of the Indonesian Air Force community.
The inaugural session concluded with the presentation of commemorative gifts and a group photograph, followed by informal conversation over lunch. The gathering strengthened personal ties while marking the beginning of an intellectual undertaking. If pursued consistently, PPAU’s Book Conversations can help cultivate reading, encourage writing, and pass knowledge from one generation to the next, beginning within the Air Force community and extending its benefits to the nation.
It is hoped that the program will inspire growing numbers of serving and retired officers to write books. Their accumulated experience and specialized knowledge deserve to be documented and shared as a source of learning for future generations. Through such works, an officer’s service can continue beyond active duty, enriching public understanding and helping to broaden interest in aviation and aerospace affairs.
Jakarta, 29 September 2026
Chappy Hakim
Indonesia Center for Air Power Studies
