Captain MJ Sitepu joined the Indonesian Navy in 1962 and retired in 1992 as a Colonel, with qualifications as Master Mariner and Hydrographic Specialist, earning him a PhD in the field in 1994. Captain Sitepu has undertaken specialized training in Hydrographic Specialist training in Australia, United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. He had also spent fifteen years working in the Indonesian Navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Office where he gained extensive experiences both ashore and at sea, including command of a number of survey ships. Highlights of his tenure included serving as an overall Chief-Commander in charge of two joint international hydrographic survey projects – in the Malacca and Singapore Straits involving Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan and in the Makassar and Lombok Straits involving Indonesia and Japan. His achievement had brought him to the position of Chief of Surveying Division in the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Office. From 1977 to 1983, Captain Sitepu also served on the Directorial Staff at the Indonesian Navy’s Command and Staff College.

Since 1984, Captain Sitepu has served at the Indonesian Armed Forces Survey and Mapping Center with his last position as Deputy Head upon his retirement in 1992. In 1993 he joined BPPT (Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology) where he is currently a Senior Scientist, Project Management Coordination of MREP, Coordinating Director of DMRM, and National Coordinator for CZERM. Captain Sitepu is now assisting FOCUS in developing its Maritime Education and Training Programs as Development Advisor.