Marco Kroon

After graduating from high school in 1989, Kroon started his military career as a Marine in the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. In 1991 he was dispatched for Operation Provide Comfort, a humanitarian operation for Kurds in northern Iraq. After this he was transferred for a year to the Marine Barracks Savaneta in Aruba. In 1993 he was sent out a second time as assistant section leader in a Marine platoon for the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) in Cambodia.

After this mission in Cambodia he transferred to the Army where he started training for a position as an NCO at the Koninklijke Militaire School in Weert. After graduating he became squad leader at the 17th Armoured Infantry Battalion in Oirschot. With this unit he left for a mission in Bosnia for six months leading an infantry group.

In 1998 he transferred to the Korps Commandotroepen (Corps of Commando Troops) in Roosendaal. After successfully earning his Green Beret he fulfilled a management position in the corps. In 2000 he once again left for Bosnia, this time as a member of the Joint Commissioned Observer mission. After this mission he left again for the Koninklijke Militaire Academie (Royal Military Academy) in Breda, to become an officer. After graduation he returned to his unit, the 17th Armoured Infantry Battalion, and left for Bosnia for the third time, now as platoon commander, in the Stabilization Force (SFOR) mission.

In 2004 he returned to the Special Forces in Roosendaal as platoon commander at the 108th Commando Company. Here he had several management positions and was dispatched once again to Iraq in 2004 for mission Stabilisation Force Iraq and three times to Afghanistan (2005, 2006 en 2007).

After that Kroon became a staff officer at the intelligence centre of the special forces, training other commandos, testing equipment and tactical procedures.

On 12 July 2012, Kroon received a new command as company commander of the Charley Company of the 17th Mechanized Infantry Battalion 'Prinses Irene' Fusilier Guards Regiment based in Oirschot.[4][5]

On 4 November 2013, Kroon returned to the Korps Commandotroepen (Corps of Commando Troops) in Roosendaal.

On the 24th of Februari the Telegraaf newspaper published an article about Kroon. It claimed that Captain Kroon would be joining the Dutch mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Based in Gao, in a staff function as a planner for the 105th Commando Troop Compagny, his job will be mainly planning long range reconnaissance missions. This news was confirmed by the commander of the Korps Commando Troepen, Colonel Jan Swillens.[6]

In November 2014 Kroon was promoted to major and assigned to the Land Training Centre in Amersfoort.

Kroon being awarded by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

From March 2006, to August 2006, Kroon, then a lieutenant, was dispatched to the Afghan province of Uruzgan. His job, as platoon commander of the Dutch special forces unit "Viper", was to reconnoiter and to map the area so that Task Force Uruzgan could be established.[1] In this period he distinguished himself by exceptional deeds during six extremely dangerous actions which broke out during ISAF patrols by "Viper" and a platoon of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment.[1]

Previously knighted members of the Military William Order attending the presentation ceremony on 29 May 2009.

One of these actions was Operation Chitag (13–14 July 2006). During the patrol, Kroon encountered a group of Taliban fighters. In the ensuing battle, while the Dutch troops were heavily outnumbered, Kroon was forced to request air support on his own position by a Lockheed AC-130 gunship; he ordered his men to take cover and with his Forward Air Controller (FAC) guided the American air attack. At such close quarters, however, it was a harrowing experience for Kroon and his FAC. Later, his platoon was forced to take cover in an Afghan house, whence they repulsed repeated attacks during the night. No men fell under Kroon's command, but the resulting Taliban losses were severe.[7] After the dawn, Kroon and his men emerged to retrieve intelligence from the dead Taliban to establish their identity. Kroon disciplined his men after noticing their agitation and inclination toward unprofessional behaviour (he later said that he understood the behaviour of his men but, as their leader, felt himself responsible for ensuring that the platoon acted professionally); he then ordered the wounded to be treated and the enemy dead to be covered. Kroon's superior officers later commended his leadership and ability to correct a battle-hardened group of commandoes.[8]

These actions and his general behaviour as a leader were the reason both his subordinates and his superiors nominated Kroon for bestowal of the Military Order. The Ministry of Defence, after three years' research, recommended to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands that Kroon be awarded the Military William Order for bravery shown during commando actions in Uruzgan.[9] Queen Beatrix made Kroon a Knight (fourth class) of the Military William Order on 29 May 2009: the first time in 54 years that the honour had been given to an individual.[10]

Early 2018 it became public that the public prosecutor (OM) had started an investigation regarding an incident from 2007 in Afghanistan, where Kroon was involved.[11]

Kroon stated that he had killed an enemy, who during an earlier secret operation, had captured him and had subjected him to brutal interrogations, mistreatment and humiliation. In November 2018, Kroon stated for the first time that he had also been raped.[12] After he was released for reasons unclear to Kroon, he wanted to take the man prisoner in turn. When he coincidentally encountered the man again, the man reached for a firearm, upon which Kroon shot and killed the man. Kroon kept the incident to himself due to the secrecy of the operation. He only reported the incident to the DoD early 2017, which informed the public prosecutor in January 2018.[13][14]

In reaction to the publication by Kroon the TV programme Nieuwsuur started an investigation. The uncovered facts were to be published 24 February. The findings were presented to the DoD for comment. Upon this minister Bijleveld has strongly urged the editor of the show not to publish as some facts and details could endanger people's lives.[15] In 2007, Kroon was on an intelligence gathering mission in the Afghan capital Kabul.[16]