Parttime militair bij Shell

On his home turf of the peninsula of Goeree-Overflakkee, Dennis Notenboom (50) is a familiar face. Here in the southwest of the Netherlands, he keeps the memories of the Second World War alive. He also supports visiting relatives of those who died in the years 1940–1945.

For his many years of dedication, the Middelharnis resident received an official honour in April: appointment as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau with the Swords, a military distinction. Dennis is not only an assistant production team leader at the MLO, one of the key plants at Shell Chemicals Park Moerdijk, but also a part-time soldier. He previously served with the National Reserve (NATRES), but for the past five years has been with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF).

“Shell and the armed forces actually have quite a lot in common,” says Dennis. “They both love abbreviations, they both have a clear structure, and an orderly way of working.”

From opposing force to satellite control

During his career in the military reserves, Dennis has carried out a wide range of duties. He has been trained in peacekeeping, supports the Apache and Chinook helicopter squadrons at RNLAF Gilze-Rijen Air Base, and acts as an opposing force (OPFOR) for Dutch Commandos during exercises.

His new reservist role is within the Air Force’s Space Operations, where Dennis will help control Dutch defence satellites (when required). “That’s quite different from the drones I operate for Shell’s industrial fire brigade in Moerdijk,” Dennis says with a smile.

Guarding critical infrastructure

Dennis says that being a reservist is not a risky undertaking. “Daily traffic is more dangerous. You’re not simply sent to the front line unless you volunteer. And even if war were to break out on NATO’s eastern flank, the regular armed forces would deploy to Poland or Lithuania, while reservists would initially be responsible for guarding critical infrastructure in the Netherlands.”

On what defence experience he brings back to Shell, Dennis says: “People skills. In the armed forces you work with people from so many different cultural backgrounds in such varied situations that you become better and better at building a strong team.”

Civil engineer and reservist

Building things—and bringing people together — is also something Larissa Terdu (40) knows a great deal about. Almost literally, because the civil engineer at Shell Pernis applies her expertise as a combat engineer in the army.

She has just completed her training as a reserve officer at the Royal Military Academy (KMA) in Breda and, upon graduation, was commissioned as a second lieutenant. “My children did ask: ‘Mum, if there’s a war now, will you be shot?’ But they also think it’s quite cool and now call me ‘sniper mama’.”

Larissa signed up as a trainee for the reserves a year and a half ago after hearing about it from another Shell reservist. “When I joined a follow-up meeting there was this incredibly enthusiastic serviceman who exclaimed: ‘What colour are you? Green, blue, grey?’* I simply wanted to do more with my background as a civil engineer in infrastructure, and it turned out the Royal Netherlands Army was the best place to do just that.”

General Military Training

As a reservist, one first completes a shortened version of the General Military Training. In includes training in resilience, international and military law, how to handle a weapon, and how to conduct oneselve as a soldier in both wartime and peacetime situations.

“That basic training is so much fun,” Larissa says. “And challenging! The modern obstacle course is really something else. Bullets are fired over your head, training explosives go off, and the instructor is shouting ‘get your butt down!’. Believe me, you really do want to crawl as low to the ground as possible.” For a reserve officer in training, the basic training lasts two weeks, after which the functional training  follows. For Larissa, that meant officer training at the Royal Military Academy (KMA) at Breda Castle.

Heavy tanks

And what if war really breaks out? “I’ve been a civil engineer for more than twenty years. That experience is valuable not only at Shell, but also to the armed forces. For example, I assess which quays can handle the unloading of heavy tanks and which cannot, where temporary bridges can or cannot be built, how locks and dykes can be repaired, or how we can organise rail transport quickly.”

For the Netherlands, as a host nation receiving NATO reinforcements by sea, that expertise is invaluable. If a crisis were to reach NATO’s doorstep, heavy military equipment would have to be transported via ports such as Rotterdam and Vlissingen in the southwest of the Netherlands, or Antwerp in Belgium, to countries like Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia.

Extremely good

Should it ever come to that, it is best to be well prepared, Larissa believes. She is also very pleased with the reservists covenant (see box) of Shell and the Ministry of Defence. “It’s extremely good. Up to 40% of your time spent serving in the armed forces is reimbursed by Shell each year. Hopefully it will never be necessary, but if a threat arises, we’ll be ready.”

_{* Green, blue and grey are the jargon colours for the army (Royal Netherlands Army), navy (Royal Netherlands Navy) and air force (Royal Netherlands Air Force). The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee — whose colour is Nassau blue — has also been an independent branch of the armed forces since 1998, although many of its duties fall under the Police Act.}