The Dutch army has not found it very easy to make the transition from being a force based on compulsory military service by all young men, to a fully professional set-up.

Now, some 12 years after conscription was abolished, the shortage of military personnel has reached 7,000 and armed forces chiefs seem to be coming up with some wierd ways to boost numbers.
This week, ministers are set to announce that young fathers will not be sent abroad while their children are very young – a benefit which already applies to female personnel.
You could argue that the current set-up is discriminatory and flies in the face of efforts to get fathers to become more involved in their children’s upbringing.
On the other hand, how on earth can you base a defence strategy on the parental ambitions of your soldiers?
Joining the army means serving your country in difficult conditions, it means being prepared to kill people and it means being prepared for the fact that you yourself might be killed or seriously injured. Having small children does not change that.
Being a soldier is not an ordinary job. You have to ask if men and women who would rather stay home changing nappies are the right sort of people with the guts and the dedication to get out there and help bring peace to Afghanistan and Darfur.