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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}

Defense on [[Aruba]] is the responsibility of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]]. The [[Military of the Netherlands|Netherlands Military]] forces that protect [[Aruba]] include the [[Royal Netherlands Navy]], the [[Netherlands Marine Corps]] and the [[Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard]]. There is also a small indigenous militia (ARUMIL, literally "Aruban militia") of about [[platoon]] strength (stationed at the Marine Corps Barracks [[Savaneta]]). ARUMIL is together with the Curaçaose military (CURMIL) part of the Caribbean military (CARMIL).<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated -->|title=Curaçaose en Arubaanse militairen |url=https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/taken-in-nederland/caribisch-gebied/curmil-en-arumil |website=Defensie.nl |language=Dutch}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Michael Simon |date=24 October 2025 |title=Amfibische oefening Curaçaose Militairen in beeld|url=https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2025/40/03_amfibische-oefening-curacao_40 |website=Defensiekrant |publisher=Defensie.nl |language=Dutch}}</ref>

==Early history==
Until 1929, there were hardly any military forces present on the [[Dutch Antilles]] including Aruba. On 28{{Nbsp}}June 1929 the Venezuelan rebel leader [[Rafael Simón Urbina]] attacked [[Curaçao]] and took several hostages amongst whom was the governor {{ill|Leonard Albert Fruytier|nl}} and the garrison commander Borren. They were all taken to [[Venezuela]] where Urbina had hoped to overthrow the government. His attempt failed and Urbina was taken prisoner. All hostages were returned to Curaçao. Three Dutch soldiers were killed in action during this attack.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.madurolibrary.org/html/library/unique/urbina.html|title=S.A.L. (Mongui) Maduro Foundation|access-date=27 September 2014}}</ref> After Urbina's attack, the Dutch government decided to station one naval ship ("stationsschip") in the [[Antilles]] permanently. It also decided to raise a volunteer defense corps on both Curaçao and Aruba ([[Curaçao Volunteer Corps|Vrijwilligerskorps Curaçao]] (VKC) and Vrijwilligerskorps Aruba (VKA)). After World War II, the VKC and VKA were redesignated Antiliaanse Militie (ANTMIL) which still exists on Curaçao. When Aruba obtained its independence within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1986, the ANTMIL on Aruba was redesignated Arubaanse Militie or ARUMIL.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}

==World War II==
{{Main|Battle of the Caribbean}}
For the Kingdom of the Netherlands, [[World War II]] started with the invasion of the Netherlands by Germany on 10 May 1940. Because of the [[Lago Oil and Transport Company|Lago oil refinery]] at San Nicolas, Aruba was deemed strategically important to the allied war effort and that same night 180 French marines arrived on Aruba to assist the local military. On 6 July they were replaced by 120 British soldiers who in turn were replaced by the 4th Battalion [[Queens Own Cameron Highlanders]] in September. In December an artillery unit from the [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army|Dutch East Indies Army]] was sent to Aruba to improve the defences. Also in December military service became compulsory and the VKA grew in size. All soldiers were billeted near the oil refinery at Savaneta, the present location of the Marine barracks. Early 1942, the British troops were replaced by over a thousand American soldiers. The Dutch coastal batteries on Aruba and Curaçao engaged U-boats at least three times during World War II, during the [[attack on Aruba]] in February 1942 and again during the [[bombardment of Curaçao]]. Later a Dutch battery on Curaçao engaged another U-boat when it attacked an oil tanker sailing off the island. None of the batteries hit their targets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historiadiaruba.aw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26|title=Historia di Aruba|access-date=27 September 2014}}</ref>

==Present==

The [[Netherlands Armed Forces]] deploy both ground and naval units in the Caribbean with some of these forces based on Aruba. These forces include:

* 32 Infantry Company of the [[Netherlands Marine Corps]] on Aruba;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://english.defensie.nl/organisation/navy/navy-units/dutch-naval-command-caribbean |title=Commander Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean |publisher=Royal Netherlands Navy |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
* a Fast Raiding Interception and Special Forces Craft (FRISC) troop (fast boats);
* a guardship, normally a {{sclass|Holland|offshore patrol vessel|1}}, from the [[Royal Netherlands Navy]] on station in the Caribbean on a rotational basis plus the support ship {{HNLMS|Pelikaan|A804|6}} operating out of Curaçao;
* ARUMIL militia elements;
* Elements of a [[Royal Marechaussee]] brigade of the Armed Forces.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://english.defensie.nl/topics/caribbean/units-and-locations |title=Units and locations |publisher=Netherlands Ministry of Defence |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>

Additionally, the [[Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard]], under the direction of the Royal Netherlands Navy commander in the Caribbean, maintains a significant presence.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/taken-in-nederland/kustwacht |title=Kustwacht |publisher=Netherlands Ministry of Defence |language=Dutch |trans-title=Coast Guard |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>

ARUMIL soldiers are volunteers and are led by their own NCOs and officers. The ARUMIL are trained by Netherlands Marine Corps. When basic training is completed every soldier in the ARUMIL becomes an Aruban Marine. Basic training and selection takes place on Aruba, further training takes place in either the Netherlands or Curaçao. ARUMIL officers have to complete the regular Netherlands Marine Corps Officers training course (Praktische opleiding tot officier der mariniers). The ARUMIL platoon works closely with the Dutch Marines company stationed at Aruba.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.savariba.com/ArubaanseMilitie.html|title=savariba.com|access-date=27 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428055602/http://www.savariba.com/ArubaanseMilitie.html|archive-date=28 April 2009}}</ref> The 32nd Raiding Squadron also performs training exercises on Aruba, sometimes together with marines of the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2020/49/04_mariniers-aruba_49 |title= Aruba oefenparadijs |author= Martin Zijlstra |date=11 December 2020|website= Defensiekrant |publisher=Defensie.nl |language=Dutch}}</ref>

An increase of instability in South America, specifically [[Venezuela]]{{Citation needed|date=April 2013}}, made the Netherlands heighten the security level and increase monitoring of the Dutch island in cooperation with the United States.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine |last=van Dissel|first=A.M.C. |date=December 2008 |title=Zeggenschap in de West (1945-1952) |url=https://marineblad.nl/images/Marineblad/2000-2009/2008/Marineblad%208%20december%202008.pdf|magazine=Marineblad |volume=118 |issue=8 |pages=30-33|language=Dutch}}

{{Aruba topics}}
{{Military of North America}}
{{Military of South America}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Of Aruba}}
[[Category:Government of Aruba]]
[[Category:Military in the Caribbean]]
[[Category:Military of the Netherlands]]