Editing Netherlands Armed Forces (section)

== Overview ==
=== Organization ===
[[File:CDS_Onno_Eichelsheim_commando-overdracht_Ridderzaal_2.jpg|thumb|Chief of Defence [[general]] [[Onno Eichelsheim]] during the acceptance ceremony of the command over the Netherlands Armed Forces, April 2021.]]
The existence of, authority over, and tasks of the armed forces are determined in the [[constitution of the Netherlands]]. [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|The Government]], which consists of cabinet members led by the [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]] and the [[Monarchy of the Netherlands|King]], functions as the head of the armed forces. Although service members swear allegiance to the [[Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|King of the Netherlands]], the monarch does not hold the position of [[commander-in-chief]]. Therefore, in practice, important decisions are made by Cabinet, while the [[List of Ministers of Defence of the Netherlands|Minister of Defence]] assumes political responsibility over the Ministry.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

The [[Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)|Ministry of Defence]] is the government ministry which is responsible for formulating and executing defence policy. The ministry consists of the Minister, [[List of Ministers of Defence of the Netherlands#List of State Secretaries for Defence|State Secretary]], the Central Staff, the Netherlands Armed Forces and two independent support organizations. The Central Staff ({{lang|nl|Bestuursstaf}}) of the Ministry comprises several directorates responsible for executing policy, advising the Minister and State Secretary, and controlling the Defence organization. The Central Staff is led by the highest civil servant of the defence organization, the Secretary General. Moreover, the Central Staff incorporates the Defence Staff, which is the highest military organ under command of the [[Chief of Defence (Netherlands)|Chief of Defence]]. The Chief of Defence is the military leader of the Netherlands Armed Forces and the most senior military adviser to the Minister of Defence. The Chief of Defence has command over the Armed Forces, the [[Netherlands Special Operations Command]] (NLD SOCOM) and the [[Defence Cyber Command]]. Several special executive organizations, including the [[Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service|Military Intelligence and Security Service]] and the office of the Inspector General, are incorporated into the Central Staff as well.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

=== Personnel ===
The Netherlands Armed Forces are a professional military, [[conscription in the Netherlands]] having been suspended in 1996 with the exception of Aruba and Curaçao.<ref>"Suspended" in this case means that no conscripts are called up in the Netherlands; the legal mechanism for the draft is still in place.</ref> All military branches are open to female recruits. In 2018 the Ministry of Defence announced that the submarine service will begin accepting female recruits for positions as officer, NCO and sailor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gain |first1=Nathan |title=Dutch female sailors now admitted for submarine service |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/01/dutch-female-sailors-now-admitted-for-submarine-service/ |access-date=15 February 2021 |work=Naval News |date=22 January 2020}}</ref>

The [[Dutch Ministry of Defence]] employs over 70,000 personnel, including both civilian and military personnel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aantallen personeel |url=https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/overdefensie/het-verhaal-van-defensie/aantallen-personeel |website=defensie.nl |date=1 September 2024 |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=3 December 2024}}</ref> The distribution of personnel in the Defence organization, including the Armed Forces, on 1 September 2024 was as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Service !! Military !! Reserve !! Civilian !! Total
|-
| Navy || align="right"| 7336 || align="right"| 1,632 || align="right"| 2,989 || align="right"| '''11,957'''
|-
| Army || align="right"| 16,766 || align="right"| 4,405 || align="right"| 3,783 || align="right"| '''24,954'''
|-
| Air Force || align="right"| 6,653 || align="right"| 823 || align="right"| 1,245 || align="right"| '''8,721'''
|-
| Marechaussee || align="right"| 6,913 || align="right"| 406 || align="right"| 847 || align="right"| '''8,166'''
|-
| Central Staff || align="right"| 1,304 || align="right"| 23 || align="right"| 2,675 || align="right"| '''4,002'''
|-
| Defence Support Command || align="right"| 2,605 || align="right"| 175 || align="right"| 7,422 || align="right"| '''10,202'''
|-
| Defence Materiel Organisation || align="right"| 728 || align="right"| 19 || align="right"| 5,251 || align="right"| '''5,998'''
|-
| '''Total''' || align="right"| '''42,305''' || align="right"| '''7,483''' || align="right"| '''24,212''' || align="right"| '''74,000'''
|}

In March 2025 it was announced that the Dutch government wants to increase the size of the Netherlands Armed Forces from 70,000 to 200,000 personnel.<ref>{{cite web |date=24 March 2025 |title=Kabinet wil veel grotere krijgsmacht: 'Defensie moet continu paraat staan' |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2560981-kabinet-wil-veel-grotere-krijgsmacht-defensie-moet-continu-paraat-staan |website=NOS |language=Dutch}}</ref>

=== Ranks ===
{{Main|Military ranks of the Netherlands armed forces}}
The Dutch military is part of the [[NATO]] militaries and therefore conforms to the structure of a NATO military. It also uses conforming [[Ranks and insignia of NATO|rank structures]].

=== Oath ===
All Dutch military personnel, [[officer (armed forces)|officer]]s and [[enlisted personnel]], are required to take an [[oath of allegiance]]. This oath is recorded in the law on General Military Personnel Regulations (Algemeen Militair Ambtenarenregelement) in Article 126a and states the following:<ref>{{cite web |title=Artikel 126a. - Algemeen militair ambtenarenreglement |url=https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0003482/2020-01-01#Hoofdstuk11a |website=wetten.nl |publisher=Overheid.nl |access-date=15 February 2021}}</ref>

:{{lang|nl|"Ik zweer (beloof) trouw aan de Koning, gehoorzaamheid aan de wetten en onderwerping aan de krijgstucht. Zo waarlijk helpe mij God Almachtig (Dat beloof ik)."}}

Translated in English:

:''"I swear (pledge) loyalty to the King, obedience to the law and submission to martial discipline. So help me God (That, I pledge)."''

=== Unionized military ===
Unlike many military organizations, Dutch military members are allowed to form and join unions.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Teitler |first1=Ger |title=The Successful Case of Military Unionization in The Netherlands |journal=Armed Forces and Society |date=August 1976 |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=517–528 |doi=10.1177/0095327X7600200404 |s2cid=144421886 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0095327X7600200404 |access-date=15 February 2021}}</ref>

There is a wide variety of unions, including unions exclusive to officers or particular service branches. Some of the larger unions include:
*{{lang|nl|Algemene Federatie van Militair Personeel}} (AFMP, [[General Federation of Military Personnel]]), which was recognized by the Dutch government in 1966. The AFMP is a member of the [[Federation of Dutch Trade Unions]] (FNV).
*{{lang|nl|Algemeen Christelijke Organisatie van Militairen}} (ACOM, General Christian Organization for Military Personnel). The ACOM is a member of the [[Christian National Trade Union Federation]] (CNV).
*{{lang|nl|Gezamenlijke Officieren Verenigingen en Middelbaar en Hoger Burgerpersoneel bij Defensie}} (GOV/MHB, United Officers Associations and Middle- and Senior level Civilian Personnel)
*{{lang|nl|Vakbond voor Defensiepersoneel VBM}} (VBM, Union for Defence Personnel).