Dutch Defense Minister Visit U.S. Military Base

Dutch Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force on Monday attended a ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas, in United States.

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During the ceremony, the Royal Netherlands Air Force uncased the colors of the 302nd Squadron at the unit’s West Fort Hood helicopter hangar, Killeen Daily Herald reports.

The new squadron replaces the Joint Netherlands Training Detachment, which has trained Dutch soldiers and airmen under Fort Hood’s 21st Cavalry Brigade since 1996.

At Fort Hood’s Air Assault School, Dutch service members train in five-week rotations on Apaches and Chinooks.

Currently, the 94th training class is underway, and about 200 Dutch soldiers and airmen are currently stationed at Fort Hood. That number will not change with the activation of the squadron, according to Hennis-Plasschaert.