The Dutch Marines, known as the Korps Mariniers is the marine corps and amphibious infantry component of the Royal Netherlands Navy and has been such since 1665– predating the USMC by a tad more than a century. They have been known for being salty sea dogs and hard fighters for over three hundred years in dozens of wars. The Japanese found out as much in the Pacific in World War Two.
Slate has an interesting article about a photo essay of 20 Dutch devil-dogs showing a close-up face shot of them before, during, and after a 12-month stint in Afghanistan.
I think the ‘during‘ is the most telling.

Like this:
Like Loading...
About laststandonzombieisland
Let me introduce myself. I am a bit of a conflict junkie. I am fascinated by war and warfare, assassination, personal protection and weaponry ranging from spud guns and flame throwers to thermonuclear bombs and soviet-trained Ebola monkeys. In short, if it’s violent or a tool to create violence it is kind of my thing.
I have written a few hundred articles on the dry encyclopedia side for such websites as History Times, Firearms Talk.com, GUNS.com, Suite 101 (where I am the contracted Feature Writer for Military History) and Combat Forums; as well as for print publications like England Expects, and Strike First Strike Fast. Several magazines such as Sea Classics, Military Historian and Collector, Mississippi Sportsman and Warship International have carried my pieces. Additionally I am on staff as a naval consultant and writer for Eye Spy Intelligence Magazine.
Currently I am working on several book projects, including a section in the upcoming Mississippi Encyclopedia (to be published by Ole Miss this summer), an alternative history novel about the US-German War of 1916, and a biography of Bennett Doty. My first novel, about the coming zombie apocalypse was released this Spring by Necro Publications and can be found at Amazon.com.
In my day job I am a contractor for the US federal government in what could best be described as the ‘Force Protection’ field. In this I am a certified Firearms, and less-than-lethal combat instructor.