Marine Corps Ghillie Suit Steals the Spotlight Among Children at TNI Fair 2026: "I Want to Be a Soldier"

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Several children appeared enthusiastic as they took photos with Navy Marine Corps soldiers at the TNI Fair 2026 held at Monas, Central Jakarta, on Saturday (19/9/2026).

Under a large tent bearing the inscription "Navy Marine Corps, Patriots of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, Guardians of Democracy for an Advanced Indonesia," children took turns approaching the on-duty soldiers.

Some simply stood beside the soldiers for pictures.

Others were seen holding replica long-barreled firearms while capturing the moment with their parents.

The booth area was designed to resemble an operational field.

Synthetic grass, camouflage nets, rocks, and various equipment and military hardware surrounded the space.

The Marine soldiers on duty wore a variety of combat gear.

Some were dressed in camouflage uniforms with tactical vests, while others wore night vision goggles.

A soldier wearing a leaf-patterned ghillie suit also caught visitors’ attention.

The outfit covered the body to the extent that the wearer appeared to blend seamlessly into the environment.

Akbar (30) came with his child, Arsyaf (10). He said he deliberately brought his son to the TNI Fair so that he could see firsthand the equipment that had only been viewed on screens until now.

“So he can also know what TNI equipment looks like. And also for a little outing,” Akbar said during an interview.

According to Akbar, his son became even more enthusiastic when he saw the Marine soldiers up close.

“Yes, he’s been the one asking to take pictures all this time,” he added.

Arsyaf expressed happiness at being able to take photos with the soldiers.

“With the army men,” Arsyaf said when asked whom he was photographed with.

He said that what intrigued him most were the weapons and the clothes worn by the soldiers.

“The weapons and the clothes,” he said.

Another visitor, Viktoria (29), came with her child, Gabriel (9). She said her son was curious to see the soldiers up close.

“My child was curious to see the soldiers up close, so I brought him along,” Viktoria said.

Upon seeing the Marine soldiers, Gabriel was immediately interested in taking photos.

According to Viktoria, the booth was quite crowded because many children came with their parents.

“It’s busy but interesting. The children also look happy,” she said.

Gabriel said the one thing that attracted his attention the most was the soldier wearing the ghillie suit.

“The one wearing the leaf outfit,” Gabriel said.

He was fascinated because the outfit made the soldier look like he was camouflaged.

“Because it’s like camouflage,” he added.

When asked about his aspirations, Gabriel said he wanted to be a soldier.

“I want to be a soldier,” Gabriel said.

Besides taking photos with the soldiers, visitors could also see various equipment displayed at the booth.

Replica mortars and rifles were positioned on tripods.

Visitors were able to view the equipment closely while remaining within the designated area.

The presence of soldiers in full combat gear provided an exciting experience for the children.

They not only saw military hardware but also interacted with and took pictures alongside Marine personnel.

The TNI Fair 2026 was held at the Monas intersection area from September 19 to 20, 2026.

This event is part of the series of celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of the TNI, with the main ceremony scheduled for October 5, 2026.

The TNI Fair ran daily from 08:00 to 21:00 WIB.

Activities included exhibitions of military and non-military equipment, a Military Technology Expo, TNI recruitment information, entertainment stages, and soldier demonstrations.