The Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) is the Special Operations Force of the Royal Netherlands Army and it is deployable anywhere in the world under any circumstance, conducting all conceivable missions from the full spectrum of special operations, including counter-terrorism overseas.
The Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) are the special forces of the Royal Netherlands Army. It is one of the three principal units tasked with special operations in the Netherlands (the others being the Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces (NLMARSOF) of the Netherlands Marine Corps and the Brigade Speciale Beveiligingsopdrachten (BSB) of the Royal Marechaussee), and it is deployable anywhere in the world under any circumstance, conducting all conceivable missions from the full spectrum of special operations, including counter-terrorism overseas.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, much changed. Particular events shaped the organisation and capacity of the armed forces, and in particular, that of the KCT. With the threat of Cold War receding, many new conflicts appeared throughout the world. Since the 9/11 Attacks, worldwide terrorism has become the biggest threat, and there has been a very high demand for specialist counter-terrorism units, able to operate overseas. To keep up with these demands, the KCT’s old role of Commando Waarnemer-verkenner (Commando Force Reconnaissance) was replaced by that of the modern and versatile Commando Speciale Operaties (co-spec-ops, or Commando Special Operations).
The KCT switched from a “part conscript, part professional force” to a fully professional unit in 1995. The last conscripts made place for professional operators in 1996, when Dutch conscription was suspended. From here, the KCT underwent drastic changes in its structure and operational capability, and with great success. It grew to a mature, professional and versatile SF unit and built up a considerable reputation. Deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq and more recently, Afghanistan provided many new insights and knowledge. Successful CT operations in Côte d’Ivoire (2004) and the Middle-East (2006) proved once again that the KCT is an extremely able, highly independent and versatile unit.
KCT operators wear a Commando Green beret. This shade of green is also in use by British Commando Qualified personnel and internationally often worn by other commando units. The brass KCT beret emblem displays a Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, hand grenade and a ribbon with the unit’s Nunc aut Nunquam (now or never) motto on it. The background of the emblem consist of a gothic typeface “W”, indicating the name Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands from 1898-1948. The beret emblem is worn on a black background with a green border.
