The Chief of Defence (, 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 and Space Force. He is also in charge of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, when it is operating under the guise of the minister of defence.
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 commander of the Royal Netherlands Army The commander of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force The commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy
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)
|-style="text-align:center;" |colspan=7|Vacant Interbellum
|-style="text-align:center;" |colspan=7|Vacant German occupation
Chairman of the United Defence Staff (1949–1976)
Chiefs of the Defence Staff (1976–2005)
Chiefs of the Defence (2005–present)
List of vice chiefs of defence Vice Chiefs of DefenceMilitary branchTerm of office Lieutenant general Hans Sonneveld Royal Netherlands Army 5 September 2005 – 1 December 2006 () Lieutenant general Rob Bertholee (Born 1955) Royal Netherlands Army 1 December 2006 – 3 March 2008 () Lieutenant general Freek Meulman Royal Netherlands Air Force 3 March 2008 – 3 March 2012 () Vice admiral Wim Nagtegaal Royal Netherlands Navy 3 March 2010 – 14 May 2012 () Lieutenant general Hans Wehren Royal Netherlands Air Force 14 May 2012 – 1 September 2015 () Vice admiral Rob Bauer (born 1962) Royal Netherlands Navy 1 September 2015 – 13 July 2017 () Lieutenant general Martin Wijnen (Born 1966) Royal Netherlands Army 13 July 2017 – 1 July 2019 () Lieutenant general Onno Eichelsheim (Born 1966) Royal Netherlands Air Force 1 July 2019 - 8 March 2021 () Vice admiral Boudewijn Boots (born 1964) Royal Netherlands Navy 8 March 2021 - ()Lieutenant general Ludy SchmidtRoyal Netherlands Army27 October 2024 - ()
References
External links Ministry of Defence Ministry of Defence