At the NATO C2COE we work with a mix of people: full-time military and civilians, Defence College students, and active reservists who combine a civilian job with their military one.
Bernd van de Wetering, our Section Head Support, spent the past five years as commander of 519 Squadron of the Netherlands Air Force Reserve Group (GLR). GLR reservists support the air force in general and operational management. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and bring a lot of knowledge and experience with them, which is why they’re often called the Air Force’s “flexible workforce.”
Bernd handed over command to his successor last week. In his speech he focused on employability, being ready for Main Task 1 (protecting national NLD territory and that of NATO allies), and the ongoing move toward full integration with the professional organisation. It’s these kinds of HR setups that keep knowledge and practical experience within our Centre.
Reservist life is voluntary, but never non-committal.
