WILLEMSTAD - Around thirty members of the Curaçaoan Military (CURMIL) participated this week in a large-scale amphibious training exercise on their home island. The operation was carried out in close collaboration with the Boat Group Curaçao of the Royal Netherlands Navy and included the participation of students from Defensity College Curaçao.

The exercise began with a sea crossing from Parera Naval Base aboard three FRISC fast interceptor boats, heading approximately eleven kilometers toward Fuik Bay. Upon landing, the soldiers continued on foot to a designated building, where the final “enemy holdouts” were located as part of the simulation scenario.

The CURMIL, together with the Aruban Military (ARUMIL), forms the Caribbean Military (CARMIL) — a combined force of over 200 personnel that is being further developed into a light infantry company-level unit in the coming years.

Students from Defensity College Curaçao also played an active role in the exercise, serving as simulated opposing forces. The Defensity College program, originally established for students in the Netherlands, launched its Caribbean pilot in May 2024, offering university students in the region hands-on experience in defense-related work and training.

Currently, fourteen working students are enrolled in Defensity College Curaçao, divided across two cohorts. Their participation in this week’s operation marks another step in strengthening local defense capabilities and Kingdom-wide military cooperation.