Dutch army leaders divided over future of elite units

The leaders of the Dutch armed forces are divided about whether or not to combine the command of the Navy and Army's elite units. The merge is intended to increase speed and efficiency, but mutual distrust and fear of losing power are standing in the merge's way, the Telegraaf reports.

In practice the Army and Navy elite units already work together very often, but their command posts are still separated. The marines fall under the command or the Commander of the Naval Forces and the commandos under his counterpart in the army.

In 2015 The Hague Center of Strategic Studies investigated this structure and advised Defense to carefully consider the command of the elite units. Defense told the newspaper that they are discussing a merger internally.

According to the newspaper, the Marine Corps fear that it will buried because by numbers it is smaller than the Corps Commando Troops. Peter Wijniga, who was involved in the 2015 study, told the newspaper that this fear prevails especially in the higher levels. "The Navy leaders especially fear loss of power and influence. That is not entirely unjustified when they are numerically in the minority", he said.