International cooperation: High-ranking visitor from the neighbourhood
International cooperation: High-ranking visitor from the neighbourhood
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On 7 May 2021, the Surgeon General of the Medical Service of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Commodore Remco Willem Blom, paid a visit to Falckenstein Barracks in Koblenz. Beside the office call at the Surgeon General of the Bundeswehr, Lieutenant General Dr Ulrich Baumgärtner, there was another joyous occasion for the visit by Commodore Blom.
Commodore Blom signed the guest book of the Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters during his office call at the Surgeon General of the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr/Markus DittrichAfter Commodore Blom signed the guest book of the Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters and after a working meeting during which the future cooperation between both medical services was discussed, both Surgeon Generals went to the Officers' Mess of Falckenstein Barracks. Here, Commodore Remco Willem Blom promoted Lieutenant Colonel Jürgen Muntenaar, Netherlands Liaison Officer to the Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters since 2018 and serving at the Multinational Medical Coordination Centre/European Medical Command, to the rank of colonel. Due to a firmly rooted tradition in the Netherlands Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Muntenaar had to fish his new rank insignia out of a glass of jenever.
According to Lieutenant General, Medical Corps, Dr Baumgärtner, the fact of both Surgeon Generals working hand in hand in the promotion ceremony illustrates well how excellently functions the cooperation between the German and the Netherlands Medical Services that has grown over the years. Commodore Blom thanked the Bundeswehr Medical Service for the exemplarily successful cooperation.
Honours rarely come alone
Since 2018, the newly promoted Colonel Jürgen Muntenaar has been Netherlands Liaison Officer to the Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters and serving at MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command
Bundeswehr/Markus Dittrich
Captain (senior grade) Markus Berg was awarded the bronze Decoration of Merit (Ereteken voor verdienste in brons) for his commitment to the benefit of the friendship and cooperation between both medical services
Bundeswehr/Markus DittrichAfter the promotion of Colonel Muntenaar, a German officer received a special award. Commodore Blom awarded the bronze Decoration of Merit (Ereteken voor verdienste in brons) for his meritorious services for the longstanding friendship and close cooperation between the Medical Service of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of The Netherlands and the Bundeswehr Medical Service. Since Captain (senior grade) Berg had no idea of this decoration being awarded to him, he was particularly surprised. For many years, Captain (senior grade) Markus Berg served at Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters, Branch I 3, International Cooperation.
