[2] After graduating from the academy, Widi underwent special forces training before joining Indonesia's army elite unit, the Kopassus.

Widi's mother recalled that he was intercepted by local separatist militias in East Timor and had multiple bouts of malaria for two months in Papua.

Widi then was promoted to major in 2003 and reassigned to the 1st unit in Serang, Banten, where he became the chief of logistics and deputy battalion commander.

[4] He was reassigned to the Central Java regional military command headquarters as senior assistant officer for operations for half a year.

Widi appeared on the podium alongside the aide-de-camp from the air force Mohamad Tony Harjono during Joko Widodo's inaugural speech on 20 October 2014.

[14] During his period as military area commander, Joko Widodo's daughter, Kahiyang Ayu, held a wedding reception in Surakarta with her fiancé, Bobby Nasution, in the city.

[21] On 31 January 2022, Widi Prasetijono was promoted to the highly prestigious post of the commanding general of Kopassus, the special forces unit inside the army.

[27] The swift replacement of Kopassus commanding general caught the eyes of military observers, as the position changed hands three times in a matter of four months.

[31] At the end of the year, Deddy Suryadi, his replacement as Joko Widodo's aide-de-camp, to was appointed as the chief of staff of the military region.

[32] As Central Java's military commander, Widi was tasked several times to lead the security operation for Joko Widodo's visit in the province.

[36] On 6 December 2024, in the first mass rotation of armed forces officers under President Prabowo Subianto, Widi was removed from his position and was assigned to the Indonesian National Defence University as a lecturer.

[37] Military observers noted that his removal was due to his closeness with Joko Widodo,[38] with analyst Selamat Ginting describing his new position as "a tragic post for a three-star general".