Military career

Navy

The Prince performed his military service in the Royal Netherlands Navy from August 1985 to January 1987. He spent several months training at the Royal Naval Institute in Den Helder, after which he served on board the frigates HMS Tromp and HMS Abraham Crijnssen. In 1988, he received refresher training, serving as a duty officer on board the frigate HMS Van Kinsbergen. The Prince holds the rank of Commodore in the Royal Netherlands Navy reserve.

Air force and army

After graduating in 1993, the Prince gained his Military Pilot's Licence with 334 Transport Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. In 1994, the Prince spent several months at the Netherlands Defence College, studying aspects of the work of the Royal Netherlands Army and Air Force. The Prince holds the ranks of Commodore in the Royal Netherlands Air Force reserve and Brigadier General in the Royal Netherlands Army reserve.

Working visits

The Prince has paid a number of working visits to the armed forces, for example to the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and the Royal Military and Border Police. In 1995 and 1996, he visited the troops stationed in Bosnia, the Dutch-German Army Corps and NATO manoeuvres in Norway. In 2001, the Prince visited the Dutch units stationed in Ethiopia and Eritrea as part of UNMEE (United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea). In 2004, 2007 and 2009 he visited the Dutch units in Afghanistan.