Chief of Defence (Netherlands)

Chief of Defence Commandant der Strijdkrachten
Flag of the Chief of Defence
Incumbent General Tom Middendorp since 28 June 2012
Armed forces of the Netherlands
Style	His Excellency
Abbreviation	CHOD
Member of	Central Staff
Reports to	Minister of Defence
Precursor	Chief of the Defence Staff
Formation	5 September 2005
First holder	General Dick Berlijn
Deputy	Vice Chief of Defence
Website	(in English) Chief of Defence

The Chief of Defence (Dutch: Commandant der Strijdkrachten) (CHOD) is the highest-ranking military officer in the Armed forces of the Netherlands and is the principal military advisor to the Minister of Defence. On behalf of the Minister of Defence, he is responsible for operational policy, strategic planning and for preparing and executing military operations carried out by the Armed forces. The Chief of Defence is in charge of the Central Staff and is the direct commanding officer of all the commanders of the branches of the Armed forces. In this capacity the Chief of Defence directs all the activities of the Royal Netherlands Army, the Royal Netherlands Navy and Royal Netherlands Air Force. He is also in charge of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, when it is operating under the responsibility of the Minister of Defence.

The main role of the Chief of Defence is as an intermediary between the Minister of Defence and the Central Staff of the Armed Forces of The Netherlands. He makes operational policy and is responsible to the minister for military-strategic planning, operations and deployment of the Armed Forces. The Chief of Defence is the direct commanding officer of the commanders of the branches of the Armed forces.

The branch commanders are responsible for preparedness and actual deployment of their military personnel in the Netherlands and the rest of the world. Regarding operational planning and deployment, the branch commanders take their orders directly from the Chief of Defence.