Matthieu Borsboom
Encyclopedia
Vice admiral
Matthieu Borsboom (born 1959) is a Royal Netherlands Navy
officer who is currently Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy and has served with the International Security Assistance Force
in Afghanistan.
in 1978 and was commissioned in 1981. His first assignment was to HNLMS Tromp, followed by a posting to minesweeper HNLMS Naaldwijk and service as executive officer
of HNLMS Veere, another minesweeper. He studied at the University of Groningen
in Groningen before being sent to patrol vessel HNLMS Hadda as executive officer in 1983. He qualified as a Principal Warfare Officer in 1986, having studied at the Operational School in Den Helder
, before being assigned to the frigate HNLMS Witte de With and then HNLMS De Ruyter. He went on to qualify as an anti-submarine warfare
officer and was posted to HNLMS Piet Hein as head of the operations department at the height of the Cold War
.
As a lieutenant commander
in 1991, Borsboom transferred to the Centre for Automation of Weapon and Command Systems before returning to sea duty aboard , which was involved in supporting United Nations
operations in the Caribbean, later serving aboard HNLMS Philips van Almonde. He attended the Defence Staff College in 1996 and was promoted to the rank of commander
and took charge of the bureau for underwater sensors at the Ministry of Defence
in The Hague
, the city of his birth, for two years.
He commanded a ship for the first time when he was sent to HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes in late 1998, after which he commanded between 1999 and 2001. After commanding ships, he took up a staff position in The Hague before promotion to captain
in 2002 and another staff assignment. He then attended the Advanced Defence Course in 2004 and served in another staff post before promotion to commodore
in 2005.
status with promotion to rear admiral
in 2007 and was appointed Director of Operational Policy, Requirements and Plans. In November 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan to become Deputy Chief of Staff for Stability in Kabul
as part of the International Security Assistance Force
. He reported directly to the commander of ISAF, then General Stanley A. McChrystal
, and had responsibility for supporting elections in the country. He was succeeded by German Army
Major General Richard Rossmanith
and returned to the Netherlands in November 2009 and was promoted to vice admiral
on 4 January 2010, assuming the appointment of Commander, Royal Netherlands Navy on 22 January 2010. In the Dutch navy admiral is a five star rank (comparable to field marshall), which has been discontinued since 1956.
in 1959. He is married to Ernie Borsboom-Miga and lives in Den Helder
. The couple have three children, all of whom joined the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Matthieu Borsboom (born 1959) is a Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
officer who is currently Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy and has served with 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...
in Afghanistan.
Naval career
Borsboom was commissioned into the Royal Netherlands Navy as a midshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in 1978 and was commissioned in 1981. His first assignment was to HNLMS Tromp, followed by a posting to minesweeper HNLMS Naaldwijk and service as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of HNLMS Veere, another minesweeper. He studied at the University of Groningen
University of Groningen
The University of Groningen , located in the city of Groningen, was founded in 1614. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands as well as one of its largest. Since its inception more than 100,000 students have graduated...
in Groningen before being sent to patrol vessel HNLMS Hadda as executive officer in 1983. He qualified as a Principal Warfare Officer in 1986, having studied at the Operational School in Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
, before being assigned to the frigate HNLMS Witte de With and then HNLMS De Ruyter. He went on to qualify as an anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
officer and was posted to HNLMS Piet Hein as head of the operations department at the height of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
As a lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in 1991, Borsboom transferred to the Centre for Automation of Weapon and Command Systems before returning to sea duty aboard , which was involved in supporting United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
operations in the Caribbean, later serving aboard HNLMS Philips van Almonde. He attended the Defence Staff College in 1996 and was promoted to the rank of 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...
and took charge of the bureau for underwater sensors at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
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...
, the city of his birth, for two years.
He commanded a ship for the first time when he was sent to HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes in late 1998, after which he commanded between 1999 and 2001. After commanding ships, he took up a staff position in The Hague before promotion to captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in 2002 and another staff assignment. He then attended the Advanced Defence Course in 2004 and served in another staff post before promotion to commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
in 2005.
High command
Borsboom attained flag officerFlag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
status with promotion to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in 2007 and was appointed Director of Operational Policy, Requirements and Plans. In November 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan to become Deputy Chief of Staff for Stability in 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...
as part 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...
. He reported directly to the commander of ISAF, then General Stanley A. McChrystal
Stanley A. McChrystal
Stanley Allen McChrystal is a retired four-star general in the United States Army. His last assignment was as Commander, International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan...
, and had responsibility for supporting elections in the country. He was succeeded by German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
Major General Richard Rossmanith
Richard Rossmanith
Major General Richard Rossmanith is a German Army officer and currently Deputy Chief of Staff for Stability with the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.-Military career:...
and returned to the Netherlands in November 2009 and was promoted to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
on 4 January 2010, assuming the appointment of Commander, Royal Netherlands Navy on 22 January 2010. In the Dutch navy admiral is a five star rank (comparable to field marshall), which has been discontinued since 1956.
Personal life
Borsboom was born in The HagueThe 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 1959. He is married to Ernie Borsboom-Miga and lives in Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
. The couple have three children, all of whom joined the Royal Netherlands Navy.