Commodore Ben Bekkering RNLN

Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (COM SNMG1)

Commodore Ben Bekkering joined the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1979. He followed a career path in the surface fleet, serving mostly on board frigates. In 1985 he joined USS DE WERT under
the Personnel Exchange Programme. From 1991 until 1994, he was appointed to the Royal Navy School for Maritime Operations in HMS DRYAD as an above water warfare instructor for the PWO course.

In 1999 after a three-year tour as Staff Operations Officer of the permanent Netherlands Task Group, he was promoted to Commander and appointed to the Naval Staff in the directorate for
plans and policy. Subsequently, he joined the air defence frigate HNLMS JACOB van HEEMSKERCK as Commanding Officer. During his two years in command, the ship served as flagship to both COMSTANAVFORLANT and COMSTANAVFORMED and participated as such in OPERATION ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR.

Commodore Bekkering decommissioned the ship at the end of 2004, was promoted to captain, and joined the Defence Staff as Department Head for Integral Plans. He finished his tour in 2008, when he was appointed Commanding Officer of the landing platform dock HNLMS JOHAN DE WITT. During an intensive two year program, he saw the ship deployed to West Africa within the US-led Africa Partnership Programme and to the Indian Ocean as part of the EU Naval Force Atalanta. In between, the ship served as flagship for a Turkish and British 2*-battlestaff and was on standby as the afloat command ship for NATO Response Force 13 (NRF13).

Commodore Bekkering joined the staff of COMRNLN in September 2010 as Head of Policy Support,
where he oversaw the inclusion of the maritime perspective into the 2010 Defence White Paper.
In the spring of 2010 he was designated as Commander, Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. In
preparation of assuming command, he was promoted to Commodore on the 3rd October 2011. He
took over command of SNMG1 on the 23rd January 2012.

Ben Bekkering lives in Bloemendaal with partner Jolande, daughter Berber and son Hidde.
They share a passion for travel. He likes to read and does regular walks and runs.