Lieutenant General Mart de Kruif has been appointed Dutch army commander and will take over from Lieutenant General Rob Bertholee on Tuesday. General Bertholee has reached retirement age.

General De Kruif started his career at the Military Academy in Breda in 1977. He graduated from general staff college in 1991 and took part in training courses at the German Bundeswehr’s Führungsakademie in 1994. After a posting to the army staff in The Hague he commanded the 42nd armoured infantry battalion. In 2001 he went to Bosnia to lead the battalion as part of SFOR 11.

In 2002, De Kruif studied at the US Army War College, where he obtained a Master degree in Strategic Studies. He later served on the army staff and the armed forces staff. In 2007 he was appointed commander of the 43rd Mechanised Brigade in Havelte. From October 2008 until November 2009 General De Kruif served as Commander Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was responsible for 45,000 ISAF troops.

General De Kruif has been deputy army commander since May 2010.

(gsh)

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