Exercise Blue Cord, 44th MechlnfBn, Havelte, December 2025
Blue Cord, 9 December 2025, Havelte.
The day before the physical challenges began, 118 participants gathered in a large cinema for a screening of the documentary In the Service of Peace, created in close collaboration with the VVL Foundation.
Guided by two seasoned professionals from Lebanon, the participants watched the film, and there were remarkably few responses to our questions, likely due to the sizeable audience...
During the day, participants attended three more meetings where various aspects of the exercise were discussed. One veteran recounted how their vehicles were ambushed on the way back to base and came under heavy fire, with the aid of visual material. One driver was seriously injured and was later flown back to the Netherlands for surgery and rehabilitation. When the audience asked who the injured person was, the veteran revealed that it was himself. When asked about the severity of his injuries, there was silence when it became known that his lower leg had been amputated. Apparently, no one had noticed that he was walking around with no apparent difficulty with the aid of a prosthesis, or that this attack had ended this veteran's active military career.
After a quiet night, everyone gathers at 8 a.m., the groups are divided up, and they set off. Most personal belongings are collected centrally and left behind in secure locations. The remainder is carried, and the veterans either walk with a group or man a post. Once at the posts the groups must carry out assignments and answer questions about the regiment, the battalion, and/or the people involved in missions or wars.
The YP 408 armoured personnel carrier is used to transport the teams to certain locations. The NEKAF light utility vehicle also drives around the site, not always successfully due to the deep tracks.
Heavy defence equipment is on standby to rescue the NEKAF from its predicament. We still have the photos!
Once all the locations have been visited and all the assignments and questions have been dealt with, the participants are permitted to go to their night-time campsite. After setting up their sleeping quarters, they have a short night's sleep before being awakened by the veterans – if they are not already awake. They then take a short walk led by the BA (A BA is the officer in charge of security on a military base), after which the veterans present hand out the 117 blue cords in the presence of a large part of the battalion.
After the call: 44 – ALWAYS – the entire battalion responds – FORWARD! After this, everyone drinks the battalion drink and continues with their daily activities.
The veterans take a group photo at the monument and say goodbye, promising to meet again next time. Upon returning, the old green uniforms can be washed, the shoes cleaned and put away in the cupboard, and the story written down.
