Prof dr. Ben Schoenmaker is director of the Netherlands Institute of Military History (NIMH) in The Hague. He studied history and economics at Leiden University. After he graduated, he fulfilled his military service at the Historical Section of the Army General Staff, which was later to merge into the NIMH. He continued his career as an academic researcher for the NIMH and was appointed director in 2017. He specialized in Dutch 19th and 20th century military history. In 2009 he finished his dissertation, which deals with the relationship between the armed forces and society in the Netherlands. The title reads Burgerzin en soldatengeest. De relatie tussen volk, leger en vloot 1832-1914. Dutch participation in UN, EU and NATO peace operations is Schoenmaker’s second major field of study. In 2012 he was appointed (part-time) professor of military history at Leiden University.