Chief of Defence (Netherlands)

Last updated
Chief of Defence
Commandant der Strijdkrachten
Onderscheidingsvlag van de Commandant der Strijdkrachten 2005.svg
Flag of the Chief of Defence
Portretfoto Onno Eichelsheim.jpg
since 15 April 2021
Armed forces of the Netherlands
Style His Excellency
AbbreviationCDS
Member ofCentral Staff
Reports to Minister of Defence
PrecursorChief of the Defence Staff
Formation5 September 2005
First holderGeneral Dick Berlijn
DeputyVice Chief of Defence
Website(in English) Chief of Defence

The Chief of Defence (Dutch : Commandant der Strijdkrachten, CDS) is the highest-ranking officer in the Netherlands Armed Forces and is the principal military advisor to the minister of defence. On behalf of the minister of defence, he is responsible for operational policy, strategic planning and for preparing and executing military operations carried out by the armed forces. The chief of defence is in charge of the central staff and is the direct commanding officer of all the commanders of the branches of the armed forces. In this capacity, the chief of defence directs all the activities of the Royal Netherlands Army, the Royal Netherlands Navy and Royal Netherlands Air Force. He is also in charge of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, when it is operating under the guise of the minister of defence.

Contents

History

The current position of Chief of Defence (CHOD) was created on 5 September 2005, when it replaced the existing role of Chef-Defensiestaf (Chief of the Defence Staff) and was abbreviated as CDS. Just like its predecessor role the position of Chief of Defence will rotate between the branches of the military; the first Chief of Defence was General Dick Berlijn, of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The position of Chief of Defence is subsequently held by a Four-star officer with the rank of General or Lieutenant Admiral

Responsibilities

The main role of the chief of defence is as an intermediary between the Minister of Defence and the Central Staff of the Armed Forces of The Netherlands. He makes operational policy and is responsible to the minister for military-strategic planning, operations and deployment of the armed forces. The chief of defence is the direct commanding officer of the commanders of the branches of the Armed forces.

The branch commanders are responsible for preparedness and actual deployment of their military personnel in the Netherlands and the rest of the world. Regarding operational planning and deployment, the branch commanders take their orders directly from the Chief of Defence.

The Royal Marechaussee (Gendarmerie) does not answer to the Chief of Defence directly, but rather to the secretary-general for the Ministry of Defence. The current secretary-general is Maarten Schurink.

List of chiefs of the defence staff / chiefs of defence

Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces (1914–1949)

No.PortraitCommander-in-chief of the Armed forcesTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
Snijders, CJ.jpg
Snijders, Cornelis General
Cornelis Snijders
(1852–1939)
31 July 19149 November 19184 years, 101 days Royal Netherlands Army /
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
2
Pop, WF.jpg
Pop, Willem Frederik Lieutenant general
Willem Frederik Pop
(1852–1939)
9 November 191820 November 19191 year, 11 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
Vacant
Interbellum
3
Izaak Reijnders.jpg
Reijnders, IzaakGeneral
Izaak Reijnders
(1879–1966)
28 August 19396 February 1940162 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
4
Henri Winkelman.jpg
Reijnders, IzaakGeneral
Henri Winkelman
(1876–1952)
6 February 194015 May 194099 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
Vacant
German occupation
5
Diverse portretten van de Koninklijke familie, Bestanddeelnr 900-9101.jpg
Lippe-Biesterfeld, BernhardGeneral
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
(1911–2004)
3 September 194413 September 19451 year, 10 days Royal Netherlands Army /
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army /
Royal Netherlands Navy
6
Hendrik Johan Kruls (1946).jpg
Kruls, Hendrik JohanGeneral
Hendrik Johan Kruls
(1902–1975)
13 September 19451 January 19493 years, 110 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army

Chairman of the United Defence Staff (1949–1976)

No.PortraitChairman of the United Defence StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
Hendrik Johan Kruls (1946).jpg
Kruls, Hendrik JohanGeneral
Hendrik Johan Kruls
(1902–1975)
1 January 19495 January 19512 years, 4 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
2
Edzard Jacob van Holthe.jpg
Holthe, Edzard Jacob van Vice admiral
Edzard Jacob van Holthe
(1896–1967)
5 January 195110 January 19532 years, 5 days Km-koninklijke-marine.svg
Royal Netherlands Navy
3
Izaak Alphonse Aler (1961).jpg
Aler, FonsLieutenant general
Fons Aler
(1896–1981)
10 January 19531 October 1953264 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force
4
Ben Hasselman (1957).jpg
Hasselman, BenGeneral
Ben Hasselman
(1898–1984)
1 October 19531 November 19574 years, 31 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
5
Heije Schaper als staatssecretaris.jpg
Schaper, HeijeLieutenant general
Heije Schaper
(1906–1996)
1 November 195710 May 19591 year, 190 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force
6
HHL Propper.png
Propper, Henry Lieutenant admiral
Henry Pröpper
(1906–1995)
10 May 195910 May 19623 years, 0 days Km-koninklijke-marine.svg
Royal Netherlands Navy
7
Gillis Johannis le Fevre de Montigny 1962 (1).jpg
le Fèvre de Montigny, GillisGeneral
Gillis le Fèvre de Montigny
(1901–1982)
10 May 19625 May 19652 years, 360 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
8
Kabinetsformateur ontving enkele defensiespecialisten en ministers Luitenant-Ge, Bestanddeelnr 915-2429.jpg
Zielstra, HeinGeneral
Hein Zielstra
(1908–1985)
5 May 196530 December 19683 years, 239 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force
9
HM vd Wall Bake.jpg
Wall Bake, Hugo van denLieutenant admiral
Hugo van den Wall Bake
(1913–1981)
5 January 196915 January 19723 years, 10 days Km-koninklijke-marine.svg
Royal Netherlands Navy
10
Willem van Rijn.jpg
Rijn, Willem vanLieutenant general
Willem van Rijn
(1915–1997)
15 January 19721 November 19731 year, 290 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
11
Robbie Wijting.jpg
Wijting, RobbieGeneral
Robbie Wijting
(1925–1986)
1 November 197310 December 19763 years, 39 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force

Chiefs of the Defence Staff (1976–2005)

No.PortraitChief of the Defence StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
Robbie Wijting.jpg
Wijting, RobbieGeneral
Robbie Wijting
(1925–1986)
10 December 19761 November 19803 years, 327 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force
2
Cor de Jager (1979).jpg
Jager, Cor deGeneral
Cor de Jager
(1925–2001)
1 November 19805 July 19832 years, 246 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
3
Govert Huyser.jpg
Huijser, GovertGeneral
Govert Huijser
(1931–2014)
5 July 198310 December 19885 years, 158 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
4
Peter Graaff.jpg
Graaff, PeterGeneral
Peter Graaff
(1936–2014)
10 December 198810 May 19923 years, 152 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
5
Arie van der Vlis.jpg
Vlis, Arie van derGeneral
Arie van der Vlis
(1940–2020)
10 May 199215 August 19942 years, 97 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
6
H. van den Breemen.jpg
Breemen, Henk van denGeneral
Henk van den Breemen
(1941–2024)
15 August 19945 June 19983 years, 294 days Embleem Korps Mariniers.svg
Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
7
Luuk Kroon portrait.jpg
Kroon, LuukLieutenant admiral
Luuk Kroon
(1942–2012)
5 June 19985 June 20046 years, 0 days Km-koninklijke-marine.svg
Royal Netherlands Navy
8
CDS Dick Berlijn.jpg
Berlijn, DickGeneral
Dick Berlijn
(born 1950)
5 June 20045 September 20051 year, 92 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force

Chiefs of the Defence (2005–present)

No.PortraitChief of the DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
CDS Dick Berlijn.jpg
Berlijn, DickGeneral
Dick Berlijn
(born 1950)
5 September 200517 April 20082 years, 225 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force
2
Peter van Uhm.jpg
Uhm, Peter vanGeneral
Peter van Uhm
(born 1955)
17 April 200828 June 20124 years, 72 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
3
Tom Middendorp 2015 (1).jpg
Middendorp, TomGeneral
Tom Middendorp
(born 1960)
28 June 20123 October 20175 years, 97 days Kl-koninklijke-landmacht-4.svg
Royal Netherlands Army
4
Rob Bauer 2017 (1).jpg
Bauer, RobLieutenant admiral
Rob Bauer
(born 1962)
5 October 201715 April 20213 years, 192 days Km-koninklijke-marine.svg
Royal Netherlands Navy
5
Genm Onno Eichelsheim 2018.jpg
Eichelsheim, OnnoGeneral
Onno Eichelsheim
(born 1966)
15 April 2021Incumbent3 years, 146 days Embleem Koninklijke Luchtmacht.svg
Royal Netherlands Air Force

List of vice chiefs of defence

Vice Chiefs of DefenceMilitary branchTerm of office
Army-personnel-icon.png Lieutenant general
Hans Sonneveld
Royal Netherlands Army 5 September 2005 – 1 December 2006
(1 year, 87 days)
Rob Bertholee in 2005.jpg Lieutenant general
Rob Bertholee
(Born 1955)
Royal Netherlands Army 1 December 2006 – 3 March 2008
(1 year, 93 days)
Air-force-personnel-icon.png Lieutenant general
Freek Meulman
Royal Netherlands Air Force 3 March 2008 – 3 March 2012
(2 years, 0 days)
Navy-personnel-icon.png Vice admiral
Wim Nagtegaal
Royal Netherlands Navy 3 March 2010 – 14 May 2012
(2 years, 72 days)
Air-force-personnel-icon.png Lieutenant general
Hans Wehren
Royal Netherlands Air Force 14 May 2012 – 1 September 2015
(3 years, 110 days)
Rob Bauer 2017 (1).jpg Vice admiral
Rob Bauer
(born 1962)
Royal Netherlands Navy 1 September 2015 – 13 July 2017
(1 year, 315 days)
Lgen Martin Wijnen 2020.jpg Lieutenant general
Martin Wijnen
(Born 1966)
Royal Netherlands Army 13 July 2017 – 1 July 2019
(1 year, 353 days)
Onno Eichelsheim.jpg Lieutenant general
Onno Eichelsheim
(Born 1966)
Royal Netherlands Air Force 1 July 2019 - 8 March 2021
(1 year, 250 days)
SNMG2-7.jpg Vice admiral
Boudewijn Boots
(born 1964)
Royal Netherlands Navy 8 March 2021 -
(3 years, 184 days)

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