Ministry of Defence (Netherlands) facts for kids
| Ministerie van Defensie | |
Logo of the Ministry of Defence
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Coat of arms of the Netherlands
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 Ministry of Defence |
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| Department overview | |
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| Formed | November 29, 1813 |
| Jurisdiction | Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Headquarters | Plein 4, The Hague, Netherlands |
| Employees | 41,380 active duty 6,763 reserve forces 3,000 paramilitary 21,674 civilian staff |
| Annual budget | €21,4 billion (2024) |
| Minister responsible |
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| Department executives |
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| Website | https://www.defensie.nl |
The Ministry of Defence (MinDef) is a very important government department in the Netherlands. It is in charge of the country's armed forces and helps people who used to serve in the military.
The ministry started in 1813 as the Ministry of War. Over time, it combined with the Ministry of the Navy, then separated, and finally merged again in 1959. This means it has a long history of protecting the Netherlands. The current Minister of Defence is Ruben Brekelmans. The top military leader is General Onno Eichelsheim, who has been the Chief of the Defence since April 2021.
Contents
What the Ministry of Defence Does
The Ministry of Defence has several key jobs to keep the Netherlands safe and help others.
Protecting the Country
One of its main tasks is to protect the land of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This includes the main country itself, plus special parts like Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. They also work with other countries to protect allies.
Helping International Peace
The ministry works to make the world a more stable and fair place. This means they help protect and improve international laws and agreements. They play a role in keeping peace around the globe.
Supporting People in Need
The Ministry of Defence also helps people at home and abroad. They support local authorities in keeping order. They provide help during emergencies, like natural disasters. They also offer humanitarian aid, which means giving help to people who need it, both in the Netherlands and in other countries.
How the Ministry of Defence is Organized
The Ministry of Defence is made up of different parts that work together.
Leaders and Staff
The ministry is led by the Minister of Defence. There is also a State Secretary of Defence who helps. The main office staff is called the Central Staff. This group is led by the Secretary-General, who is the highest-ranking non-military official.
The Central Staff includes important teams like:
- Groups that create plans for policy, people, equipment, and money.
- The Defence Staff, which helps plan military operations.
- The Defence Audit Service, which checks how money is spent.
- The Security Authority, which handles security matters.
- The Military Intelligence and Security Service, which gathers important information.
- The Military Aviation Authority, which oversees military aircraft.
The Armed Forces
The highest military leader is the Chief of Defence. This person is a very high-ranking general or admiral. They are in charge of the different parts of the armed forces.
The armed forces are organized into three main groups:
- The Royal Netherlands Navy Command, for naval forces.
- The Royal Netherlands Army Command, for land forces.
- The Royal Netherlands Air Force Command, for air forces.
There is also a fourth important part called the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. This is a special police force that works directly under the Secretary-General. They do things like border control and military policing.
Support Teams
The armed forces get help from two civilian organizations that are part of the Ministry of Defence:
- A Support Command (Defensie Ondersteuningscommando), which provides general support.
- The Command Materiel and IT (Commando Materieel en IT), which handles equipment and technology.
In total, the Ministry of Defence employs about 70,000 people. This includes both military members and civilian staff.
See also
- List of ministers of defence of the Netherlands
- Defence diplomacy
