Royal Netherlands Marechaussee aspirants complete the first phase of training
On Thursday, the 4th of April, the 15 students for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee completed the first phase of the training, a 3-day bivouac.
The bivouac started on Tuesday, the 2nd of April. On this day, the students first received an assignment in class, after which they received the necessary materials to spend the bivouac. After this they left for the bivouac location where they set up a camp, cooked together and in the evening around a campfire got to know each other and the leadership of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee on Bonaire. On Wednesday, the 3rd of April, they carried out a collaborative assignment in Sorobon. Here they had to build a raft in two groups and took it out on the water. They ended the evening with an ‘exercitie’ training and a speed march on Seru Largu. On the last day, Thursday, the 4th of April, they did volunteer work at the Fundashon pa Kuido di Personanan Desabilita (FKPD).
In the late afternoon they marched from the south of the island to the police station, where the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee is also housed, where they were warmly welcomed by family members. A transfer ceremony took place here in which the coaches of the Velitt organization, who provided the bivouac, handed the students back to the leadership of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. After this, all attendees could talk about the special experience while enjoying a snack and a drink.
On Friday, the 5th of April, the 15 students will leave for the Netherlands for three months to continue their training at the King Willem III barracks in Apeldoorn. Of the 15 students, 3 are from St. Eustatius, 1 is from Saba and 11 are from Bonaire.
