WILLEMSTAD - Starting from Monday January 20, more than 150 Dutch soldiers from the Royal Netherlands Army are training in Curaçao during the annual Caribbean Poacher exercise. Over the next two weeks, the soldiers will push their physical and mental limits during various challenging training sessions.
Curaçao offers training soldiers, in addition to a unique training location due to the weather conditions, ample opportunities to push their physical and mental boundaries. By pushing these boundaries, soldiers can reach their full potential. They enhance their experience, mental resilience, and mindset.
Caribbean Poacher contributes to functioning in unfamiliar circumstances and strengthening a sense of unity, as soldiers learn to trust themselves and their colleagues. During these type of excercices, they learn to manage stress and cooperate under pressure. The activities consist primarily of physical training, teamwork, and field exercises.
The exercises will take place at the Wacao Defense Training Area and at Koraal Tabak. Soldiers will also tackle the ‘Drie Gebroeders’, the Christoffel Mountain, and the ‘Tafel Berg. They will practice at the old hospital, Fort Nassau, and the Juliana Bridge. At Daaibooi, they will practice an amphibious march to Playa Hundu. Besides that the soldiers will train in the area around Playa Santa Cruz, Caracas Bay, and Fuik Bay.
Unit
Exercise Caribbean Poacher is an annual exercise held in Curaçao, in which a different Army unit participates each year. This time, the participating unit is Charlie Company of the 17th Armored Infantry Battalion (GFPI), a specific company within this Dutch armored infantry battalion, part of the 13th Light Brigade, specializing in mobile infantry operations.
