WILLEMSTAD – Sixteen aspiring Coast Guard members from across the Dutch Caribbean have successfully completed the Junior Coast Guard Crew Member (JBK) training program after more than a year of intensive education, practical training and personal development.
The graduates of the 2025 class come from Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, with participants also representing Saba and Sint Eustatius.
This year's graduation marks a historic milestone for the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. For the first time, a participant from Sint Eustatius has successfully completed the JBK program. The graduate is also a woman, making her the first female JBK graduate from Sint Eustatius.
A young woman from Aruba was named the best JBK graduate of the 2025 class.
The training prepares recruits for the wide range of responsibilities they will encounter while serving with the Coast Guard. In addition to nautical subjects and boarding procedures, participants received instruction in first aid, firearms proficiency and physical and mental development.
Part of the training was provided by the Law Enforcement and Security Training Institute (ORV), where recruits studied criminal law and criminal procedure and received practical instruction in preparing official police reports, making arrests and self-defense.
The recruits also gained practical experience through training sessions and internships on several islands and aboard Coast Guard cutters.
At the beginning of the program, participants completed the "Samen Sterk" program, designed to establish principles that would remain central throughout their training, including teamwork, personal development, overcoming challenges and supporting one another.
With the successful completion of their JBK diplomas, all 16 graduates will be promoted to the rank of Able Seaman within the Coast Guard. They will now begin applying their training in operational duties aimed at protecting communities along the coast and at sea.
The Coast Guard thanked the JBK instructors and the various departments and units involved in the training. It also thanked Marine Barracks Suffisant for providing accommodation for the recruits and ORV for its contribution to the program.
Cooperation between the Coast Guard and ORV has been strengthened in recent years. This year's graduates will again receive a jointly recognized JBK diploma reflecting that partnership.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard congratulated the 16 graduates and wished them a safe and successful career in maritime law enforcement and security.