NATO Flash Force
Meanwhile, NATO activated the so-called flash force, used to respond quickly to crisis situations. France and Belgium each sent about a hundred soldiers to the base of the Assenaren.
Ermers: “I heard from various soldiers that because of such events at times it felt more like a mission than an exercise. During training there is always a serious undertone, but this time they felt more tension than usual. We noticed that too. on the home front, that we had to explain well that we really did not go to Romania to fight and that the soldiers would be back in the Netherlands after four weeks.”
Helicopter crash makes an impression
While the Asser soldiers were at the military base, a helicopter of the Romanian army crashed during a search for a missing jet fighter. Seven military rescuers were killed. A shock for the Dutch red berets, who heard the news in the morning.
“We were going to train with that helicopter unit and we had to deal with the crash in which our Romanian comrades died. The war then crosses your mind for a moment, but it soon became clear that it was an accident. It is still a risk of our work and you felt in the group that it made an impression,” says Ermers.
Romanian mission
According to the Ministry of Defense, the exercise itself went well and has since been extended. There is a chance that more soldiers from the Netherlands will leave for the border area in the future. France is considering starting a joint mission with the Netherlands in Romania. The government has not yet taken a decision on this, but according to press officer Ermers, a new visit to Eastern Europe does haunt the Asser soldiers’ minds.
“Of course they wonder if this was their last trip to Romania, or if they will go there again in a while. As a soldier you always have to make sure you are ready for such a deployment, but it is not the case that there are farewell parties are already planned.”