Committed to peace and security, always and everywhere.
Defence stands for peace and security, in the Netherlands and elsewhere. The armed forces contribute to stability and freedom in the world. The Ministry of Defence comprises the Ministry itself (Central Staff), the four armed forces (the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Netherlands Army, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee [Military and Border Police]), Support Command and the Defence Materiel Organisation. The Ministry of Defence is one of the biggest employers in the Netherlands.
The Defence organisation bears similarities to a large company. The Operational Commands (naval, land and air forces), the Marechaussee (military police), the Support Command (CDC) and the Defence Materiel Organisations bear resemblance to operating companies. The Defence organisation has about 58,000 personnel, making it one of the larger employers in the Netherlands. The Central Staff, housed at the Plein in The Hague, employs some 1,700 civilian and military personnel.
