WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao – Sixteen recruits from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius have completed the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard’s Junior Coast Guard Crew Member (JBK) training program after more than a year of training.
The graduating class includes the first person from St. Eustatius to successfully complete the JBK program. The Statia graduate is also a woman, making her achievement a double first. This year’s highest-performing graduate is a woman from Aruba.
The JBK program prepares recruits for operational duties within the Coast Guard. Training covered maritime operations and boarding procedures as well as first aid, firearms, physical and mental development and law enforcement. The latter included criminal law, arrest procedures, report writing and self-defense, in cooperation with the Opleidingsinstituut Rechtshandhaving & Veiligheidszorg (ORV).
Recruits also gained practical experience during internships and training on several islands and aboard Coast Guard cutters.
Following their graduation, the 16 recruits will be promoted to the rank of Able Seaman and begin operational duties within the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard.
