Soldier & Human (2021)

'Defense protects what is dear to us' is the slogan of the Dutch Ministry of Defence, but what does this protector look like? To society, this protector looks like a war machine, where soldiers work. But these soldiers are the ones risking their lives to guard our safety and freedom. These soldiers are just like everyone else: human.

The tough and anonymous world of the military does not have to remain anonymous for the civilian world.The world of the military does not always have to revolve around combat, but also around caring for our citizens, being ready for the families back home of military personnel on missions abroad, as well as taking care of military horses. 

During my time as a trainee photographer at the Royal Land Forces brigade: Operational Support Command Land, I was able to experience in six months how diverse Defense is in the various functions, but also the enormous positive commitment to this diversity of functions. A world has opened up for me where I have been able to get to know the Soldier and the human.