Veterans visit Parliament
Dutch army veterans visited both chambers of the Parliament on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 November.
The veterans were invited by members of the standing committees for Defence. Around 1.400 men and women reacted to the invitation. They were divided in three groups, one on Friday and two on Saturday. The invitation illustrates the appreciation by the Senate and The House of Representatives for the efforts by the military in action abroad to protect freedom. The invitation was especially for army veterans that were wounded in action or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The speakers of Senate and House, mrs. Ankie-Broekers-Knol and ms. Anouchka van Miltenburg, addressed the guests. Also the minister of Defence , ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and the chief of staff of the Dutch military, Tom Middendorp, were present and listened to the stories of the veterans. Many members of Senate and House mingled with the visitors and showed them around in the parliament buildings.