Ton van Loon
Encyclopedia
Ton van Loon is a commander
from the Netherlands. He is a Lieutenant General
employed by NATO who took control of the International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF), Regional Command South (RC-S) on November 1, 2006 until May 1, 2007. As of April 13, 2010, he commands I. German/Dutch Corps
. He is married and has two children.
into a military family. He is the son of a sergeant major
in the infantry
.
Van Loon enrolled in the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
in Breda
in 1977. Graduating from the academy in 1981 he was assigned to the 41st Artillery Battalion stationed in Seedorf
. He held several different positions with the 41st before returning to The Netherlands to continue his military education.
Starting in 1990, Van Loon attended the Royal Netherlands Army Staff College at The Hague
, following staff officer training courses. This led to a staff officer position with the 13th Mechanized Brigade in Oirschot
starting in 1992. In this position he was able to leverage and solidify his earlier experiences in international military cooperation by organizing the first rotations of the Royal Netherlands Army
at the (US) Combat Manoeuvre and Training Centre in Hohenfels
. He also gained experience with modern training methods when he played a leading role in the introduction of instrumented training in the Army.
In 1995 he attended the British Army Command and Staff College, after which he returned to international military cooperation with a staff position at the I. German/Dutch Corps
in Münster
. As staff officer in charge of training he organized several large training exercises and worked on further command integration until March 1998 when he was assigned command of the 11th Artillery Battalion.
As Battalion Commander he was deployed to Kosovo
in 1999 as part of the KFOR1 Multinational Brigade South
(under German command). He received a knighthood for his leadership efforts in this mission, Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau
.
From June 2000 to January 2004 Van Loon served on the Staff of the Royal Netherlands Army in The Hague
. In this period he was promoted twice (first to colonel
, then to brigadier general
) and held the Chief of Operations position. Again he focused on military cooperation with the German Armed Forces
, becoming part of the cooperative triangle.
On January 8, 2004 he was assigned command of the 43rd Mechanized Brigade in Havelte. Under his command this brigade developed into the nucleus of the Land Component Multinational Brigade of NATO Response Force 4
. NATO awarded him the NATO Meritorious Service Medal for this command.
Per October 13, 2006 Van Loon was promoted to the rank of major general
, ahead of his deployment to Afghanistan
. Starting November 1 he assumed command of the Regional Command South and was stationed in Kandahar
. During this posting he conducted several operations and continued NATO efforts to implement the 3D (defense, diplomacy, development) program. His involvement with ISAF
continued after his return to The Netherlands, where he served as senior mentor in a number of pre-deployment exercises and as subject lecturer.
Returning to Dutch-German cooperation efforts, Van Loon reported to Heidelberg
in August 2007. There he served at the Allied Land
Component Command Headquarters until April 2010 as Chief of Staff, in a period that the Headquarters were transformed into a force command providing deployable teams at the operational level. Early in 2010 one of these teams was deployed to Kabul
, to the ISAF Headquarters. At that occasion Van Loon was presented with the Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold
for "his career-long efforts to improve Dutch-German cooperation".
On April 1, 2010 he was promoted to Lieutenant General
ahead of his April 13 assignment to the I. German/Dutch Corps as Corps Commander.
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
from the Netherlands. He is a Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
employed by NATO who took control of the International Security Assistance Force
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
(ISAF), Regional Command South (RC-S) on November 1, 2006 until May 1, 2007. As of April 13, 2010, he commands I. German/Dutch Corps
I. German/Dutch Corps
1 German/Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation consisting of units from both the Royal Dutch Army and German Army. It is also part of NATO's Response Force, a military force consisting of approximately 25,000 troops. The Corps' headquarters are situated in Münster , formerly the...
. He is married and has two children.
Biography
Van Loon was born on WeertWeert
Weert is a municipality and city in the southeastern Netherlands. As of 2010, Weert had a population of 48,405. It lies on the Eindhoven–Maastricht railway line, and is also astride the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal.- Population centres :* Altweerterheide...
into a military family. He is the son of a sergeant major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
.
Van Loon enrolled in the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
Koninklijke Militaire Academie
The Royal Military Academy is the service academy for the Dutch Army and the Dutch Air Force. Located in Breda, the Netherlands, the KMA has trained future officers since 1828.-Description:...
in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
in 1977. Graduating from the academy in 1981 he was assigned to the 41st Artillery Battalion stationed in Seedorf
Seedorf, Lower Saxony
Seedorf is a municipality in the district of Rotenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
. He held several different positions with the 41st before returning to The Netherlands to continue his military education.
Starting in 1990, Van Loon attended the Royal Netherlands Army Staff College at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, following staff officer training courses. This led to a staff officer position with the 13th Mechanized Brigade in Oirschot
Oirschot
Oirschot is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. It is situated 12 km from the city of Eindhoven and 20 km from the city of Tilburg in the province Noord-Brabant...
starting in 1992. In this position he was able to leverage and solidify his earlier experiences in international military cooperation by organizing the first rotations of the Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
at the (US) Combat Manoeuvre and Training Centre in Hohenfels
Hohenfels
Hohenfels is a municipality in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
. He also gained experience with modern training methods when he played a leading role in the introduction of instrumented training in the Army.
In 1995 he attended the British Army Command and Staff College, after which he returned to international military cooperation with a staff position at the I. German/Dutch Corps
I. German/Dutch Corps
1 German/Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation consisting of units from both the Royal Dutch Army and German Army. It is also part of NATO's Response Force, a military force consisting of approximately 25,000 troops. The Corps' headquarters are situated in Münster , formerly the...
in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
. As staff officer in charge of training he organized several large training exercises and worked on further command integration until March 1998 when he was assigned command of the 11th Artillery Battalion.
As Battalion Commander he was deployed to Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 1999 as part of the KFOR1 Multinational Brigade South
KFOR
The Kosovo Force is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo.KFOR entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999 under a United Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1244...
(under German command). He received a knighthood for his leadership efforts in this mission, Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
.
From June 2000 to January 2004 Van Loon served on the Staff of the Royal Netherlands Army in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. In this period he was promoted twice (first to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, then to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
) and held the Chief of Operations position. Again he focused on military cooperation with the German Armed Forces
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, becoming part of the cooperative triangle.
On January 8, 2004 he was assigned command of the 43rd Mechanized Brigade in Havelte. Under his command this brigade developed into the nucleus of the Land Component Multinational Brigade of NATO Response Force 4
NATO Response Force
The NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...
. NATO awarded him the NATO Meritorious Service Medal for this command.
Per October 13, 2006 Van Loon was promoted to the rank of major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, ahead of his deployment to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Starting November 1 he assumed command of the Regional Command South and was stationed in Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
. During this posting he conducted several operations and continued NATO efforts to implement the 3D (defense, diplomacy, development) program. His involvement with ISAF
ISAF
ISAF may refer to:* International Sailing Federation, the world governing body for Olympic and other competitive sailing.* International Security Assistance Force, the NATO-led security mission operating in Afghanistan since 2001....
continued after his return to The Netherlands, where he served as senior mentor in a number of pre-deployment exercises and as subject lecturer.
Returning to Dutch-German cooperation efforts, Van Loon reported to Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
in August 2007. There he served at the Allied Land
Component Command Headquarters until April 2010 as Chief of Staff, in a period that the Headquarters were transformed into a force command providing deployable teams at the operational level. Early in 2010 one of these teams was deployed to Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, to the ISAF Headquarters. At that occasion Van Loon was presented with the Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold
Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr
The Badge of Honour of the German Armed Forces is a series of military decorations of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany...
for "his career-long efforts to improve Dutch-German cooperation".
On April 1, 2010 he was promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
ahead of his April 13 assignment to the I. German/Dutch Corps as Corps Commander.
External links
- http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/6_1_1.asp?id=1409
- CURRICULUM VITAE Lieutenant General Ton van Loon