News item | 04-06-2025 | 16:00
The veteran bill appears this year at a special moment. The Netherlands is celebrating 80 years of peace and freedom. “We have to cherish that and that goes hand in hand with the recognition and appreciation for our more than 100,000 veterans. It is a task of defense as an employer and society as a whole.” Minister Brekelmans says that in an accompanying letter to the House of Representatives.
The veteran bill is the annual review of the implementation of the veteran policy. The many activities that were organized in 2024 are discussed. The opening of the permanent exhibition on the Dutch East Indies, for example, in Museum and home for Veterans Bronbeek. Or the celebration of 10 years of Veterans Act with a symposium. The Veterans Day naturally receives attention, just like the celebration of 35 years of National Veterans Platform.
The Netherlands currently has more than 101,000 veterans. Compared to last year, that is an increase of 300. The percentage of female veterans is increasing steadily and is now 6.8 percent of the total population. The largest group of veterans is between 41 and 50 years old. In the past year, more than 900 veteran cards have been provided.
Another striking figure from the report is about the Veteran education program for the class. In the past year, 54.201 students have been reached and that is almost doubling compared to 2022. In addition, 250 municipalities in the Netherlands now have a white carnation. With this, the municipalities honor the veterans from their own environment.
Return trips
Since 2022 have 168 Dutchbat III veterans participated in a return trip to Srebrenica. The journeys contribute to the processing of the past. The mission in the 90s was “exceptional and incomparable,” says Brekelmans in the letter of Parliament, “and there was too little attention for the Dutchbatters When they returned. “
Defense has looked with experts whether there should also be return trips for veterans of other missions. The circumstances with which Dutchbat III was confronted, however, were so unique that widening is not obvious. Moreover, it is currently unsafe in many of the former mission areas. What is special is that the Permanent Chamber Committee for Defense recently went with a return trip to Srebrenica. With this she contributed to strengthening the mutual ties between politics, the Bosnian community and the Dutchbat III veterans.
The rules in the Veterans Act and the Veterans Decree will continue to apply in the future. But due to the changes in the world and the safety situation, it is necessary to make clearer choices within those rules. Defense, together with organizations involved in veteran policy, has thought about the future of this policy. In this way, more attention is paid to preventing problems, especially in the field of recognition, appreciation, support and care. The policy focuses primarily on recovery and is based as much as possible on scientific research.