Armed forces faced with staff exodus and few new recruits: report

Tuesday 19 June 2012

The Dutch armed forces are haemorrhaging manpower, according to a defence ministry internal report in the hands of the NRC.

The departure of essential personnel is unstoppable and the recruitment of new personnel is 'way below what it should be', NRC quotes the report as saying.

The ministry is in the middle of a reorganisation designed to cut €1bn from its budget. Part of the savings will come from the loss of 12,000 jobs.

New recruits

Caretaker defence minister Hans Hillen wants older military personnel and citizens to go in favour of young recruits, engineers and IT specialists. So defence is trying to recruit 4,000 young people this year.

According to the internal report, they are doubtful if they will reach their goal, says the paper.

In the first four months of 2012, 2,100 people left the armed forces and 691 new recruits joined up. Most of them came from colleges that run defence courses.

Older soldiers

In the same period of 2011, 933 new people were recruited, says the report.

Hillen's intention to attract young armed personnel is not being achieved, according to NRC. In 2011, the number of military personnel under 25 years of age dropped considerably, while the number of those over 55 grew.

Parliament will debate the problem with Hillen on Wednesday.

© DutchNews.nl

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