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News | August 22, 2024 | 06:00
Nearly three-quarters of the first batch of soldiers that year chose to stay with the Ministry of Defense. Most are full-time soldiers. The rest will serve as reservists and a few as civilians. This involves a total of 102 new defense employees.
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The last group of soldiers in their first year of service will receive their certificates this morning. This involves 10 personnel who served in the Air Force. Young people who served in the Army, Navy and Military Police received their certificates earlier.
In September, 136 men and women started their first year of garrison. The aim is to make defence more attractive to a wider target group and allow them to make a year-long contribution as soldiers. This could be done, for example, during a gap year after high school or further education.
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Mostly in the military
Most joined the military. Of these, 54 will now be professional soldiers and 18 will be reservists. In the Air Force, 9 of the 11 participants donned the uniform and became full-time soldiers, and in the Military Police, 5 of the 11, 4 wanted to become reservists. All 12 participants from the Navy stayed: 8 full-time soldiers, 3 reservists, and 1 civilian.
During this process, 10 participants withdrew. In addition, 24 decided not to continue after the anniversary, although they were mostly positive about it. Therefore, the remaining 102 people are still involved in national defense.
Your resume looks good
State Secretary Gijs Tuinmann is pleased with the figures: “It’s great that young people see the added value of national defence. I know from my own experience that working for this organisation can be truly inspiring. You won’t find so much camaraderie, discipline and teamwork anywhere else. You also see a little bit of the world. If at some point you want something different, a few years in the Ministry of Defence will also look good on your CV. After all, you contribute to the resilience of society. But most of all, I want service personnel to stay and serve for a long time. The world has become increasingly unsafe in recent years, which is why good and motivated people are urgently needed.”
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Cautious ambition
Erik Noordam, the programme leader, Sea Captain, looks back on the first year positively. “It went very well. The dropout rate was low. I think that was a direct result of the school and the unit coping very well. It involved an enthusiastic group, which also helped. The mentors noticed that the participants were really determined to have a good year.”
The project leader said the first-year targets were deliberately cautious. “The original goal was to retain 30%. That would make it worthwhile to continue the program.” The occupancy rate was much higher. “We are of course very happy about it. But we have to recognize that we are still in the… pilot We must all continue to work hard to maintain this positive trend.”
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The second batch has started
The next few years will show just how successful the “Year of the Founding” really is. In 2024, 500 to 600 full-year soldiers will enlist. By 2025, that number will grow to 1,000. Not because of enthusiasm, since about 3,000 signed up this year. So not everyone will get started. The defense has to make choices. “Growth depends on the availability of training places,” Noordan explains. “We really have to be able to give people what we promised.”
All applicants pass regular checks and therefore meet military requirements. Among other things, they undergo psychological tests and physical examinations. In addition, data models are used to predict whether someone meets the profile of a service member. “We can hire anyone who is suitable. If it turns out later that being a soldier is not for you, that’s okay. It’s good if people give it a try.” They bring valuable experience to society that will benefit them throughout their lives.
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Military temperament in DNA
According to Noordan, the latter is the most important part of the anniversary celebration. “Here you can experience what it’s like to be a real soldier. Whether you can work in a team, be on time, take responsibility. Roughly speaking, whether you have the element of being a soldier in your DNA. In the end, you really have to experience being a soldier. This is the power of defense.”
In a military organization, you can be almost anything. Imagine working in the medical department, as a cook, a mechanic, a driver, a meteorological department, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, or a pilot, to name a few. What do you pick up? Look up werkenbijdefensie.nl/dienjaar Learn more.
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