# Frank van Kappen

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Dutch politician and soldier

Frank van Kappen Frank van Kappen as Brigadier general Member of the Senate In office 12 June 2007 – 11 June 2019 Personal details Born (1941-08-04) 4 August 1941 (age 84) Semarang, Dutch East Indies Party People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

**Franklin Ernest "Frank" van Kappen** (born 4 August 1941) is a Dutch retired marine and politician. Van Kappen was a career officer in the [Netherlands Marine Corps](/source/Netherlands_Marine_Corps), and served as [Major general](/source/Major_general) between 1995 and 1998. He was a member of the [Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)) for the [People's Party for Freedom and Democracy](/source/People's_Party_for_Freedom_and_Democracy) between 2007 and 2019.

## Career

Van Kappen was born on 4 August 1941 in [Semarang](/source/Semarang), [Dutch East Indies](/source/Dutch_East_Indies). He received his primary education in the Dutch East Indies, the Netherlands and [New Guinea](/source/New_Guinea). Between 1955 and 1961 he was enrolled in the Dalton Lyceum in [The Hague](/source/The_Hague).[1]

The same year he finished highschool he entered the [Royal Naval College](/source/Royal_Naval_College_(Netherlands)) in [Den Helder](/source/Den_Helder). Graduating as an officer in 1964 he subsequently served with the [Netherlands Marine Corps](/source/Netherlands_Marine_Corps).[1] Between 1987 and 1988 he attended [Naval War College](/source/Naval_War_College) in the United States.[1][2] Between July 1992 and 1995 he served as brigadier general as commanding officer of the Dutch Armed Forces in the [Caribbean](/source/Caribbean), concurrently holding command of the Dutch-American Taskforce 4.4. He was promoted to Major general and served as military advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations between 1995 and August 1998.[1]

Since 2000 he has been a visiting lecturer at the [Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael](/source/Netherlands_Institute_of_International_Relations_Clingendael).[1]

## Senate

In 1999 Van Kappen became member of the [People's Party for Freedom and Democracy](/source/People's_Party_for_Freedom_and_Democracy) and he joined the [Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)) for that party on 12 June 2007.[1]

In 2009 there was widespread political debate on the continuation of the Dutch military presence in the Afghan province of [Uruzgan](/source/Urozgan_Province) in the [Task Force Uruzgan](/source/Task_Force_Uruzgan) for 2010. Van Kappen proposed that the Netherlands would continue its military presence, however leave the lead position to another country.[3]

Between 2011 and 2015 he was President of the Senate's Permanent Commission on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Aid.[1]

Shortly after the 17 July 2014 downing of [Malaysia Airlines Flight 17](/source/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17) in Eastern Ukraine, the option of sending military commando forces to retrieve the victims was proposed by several politicians because the flight had a majority of Dutch passengers and cooperation with local power holders was difficult. Van Kappen stated that the sending of Dutch forces would be one of the most stupid courses of action.[4]

In early 2018 Van Kappen pleaded for a long-term plan for the [armed forces of the Netherlands](/source/Armed_forces_of_the_Netherlands), a plan with broad political support which would could be sustained over several cabinets.[5] During the [2018 Dutch municipal elections](/source/2018_Dutch_municipal_elections) Van Kappen was *[lijstduwer](/source/Lijstduwer)* for his party in [Utrechtse Heuvelrug](/source/Utrechtse_Heuvelrug).[6] His term in the Senate ended on 11 June 2019.[7]

## Awards

In July 1982 Van Kappen was invested as a Knight of the [Order of Orange-Nassau](/source/Order_of_Orange-Nassau); on 8 June 1995 he was elevated as an Officer of the same order.[1]

He received the medal of Naval Almirante Luis Brion of [Venezuela](/source/Venezuela) on 23 July 1993.[1] Venezuela also awarded him the Order of Naval Merit, first class on 7 July 1995.[1] The United States presented him with the [Legion of Merit](/source/Legion_of_Merit) in December 1996.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-10) ["F.E. (Frank) van Kappen"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114957/http://www.parlement.com/id/vhjogfpxyzwr/f_e_frank_van_kappen) (in Dutch). Parlement.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.parlement.com/id/vhjogfpxyzwr/f_e_frank_van_kappen) on 2 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["F.E. van Kappen"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190527132150/https://hcss.nl/expert/fe-van-kappen). The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. Archived from [the original](https://hcss.nl/expert/fe-van-kappen) on 27 May 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Frank van Kappen (19 November 2009). ["Frank van Kappen - Helemaal weg is geen optie"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150402152006/http://www.eenvandaag.nl/buitenland/oorlog-tegen-terreur/43500/frank_van_kappen_helemaal_weg_is_geen_optie) (in Dutch). EenVandaag. Archived from [the original](http://www.eenvandaag.nl/buitenland/oorlog-tegen-terreur/43500/frank_van_kappen_helemaal_weg_is_geen_optie) on 2 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Van Kappen: militair ingrijpen hoogst onverstandig"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140722232030/http://nos.nl/video/677224-van-kappen-militair-ingrijpen-hoogst-onverstandig.html) (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. 20 July 2014. Archived from [the original](http://nos.nl/video/677224-van-kappen-militair-ingrijpen-hoogst-onverstandig.html) on 22 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Kamerlid Van Kappen: "Deltaplan voor Defensie nodig""](https://web.archive.org/web/20180204085809/https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2018/01/15/defensie-onder-de-aandacht-in-nieuwspoort). Defensie.nl. 16 January 2018. Archived from [the original](https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2018/01/15/defensie-onder-de-aandacht-in-nieuwspoort) on 4 February 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Franck, Roeland (20 March 2018). ["Kiezer heeft in Utrecht het meest te kiezen"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180322085142/https://www.ad.nl/utrecht/kiezer-heeft-in-utrecht-het-meest-te-kiezen~adf27782/). Algemeen Dagblad. Archived from [the original](https://www.ad.nl/utrecht/kiezer-heeft-in-utrecht-het-meest-te-kiezen~adf27782/) on 22 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Generaal-majoor der Mariniers (b.d.) F.E. van Kappen (VVD)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200203233455/https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/generaal_majoor_der_mariniers_b_d) (in Dutch). Senate of the Netherlands. Archived from [the original](https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/generaal_majoor_der_mariniers_b_d) on 3 February 2020.

v t e Members of the Senate of the Netherlands (2015–2019) Senate 9 June 2015 – 10 June 2019 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD: 13) ‹Hermans› Jorritsma Broekers-Knol (president) Bruijn ‹De Bruijn-Wezeman› Duthler ‹De Grave› Huijbregts-Schiedon Van Kappen ‹Klip-Martin› Knip ‹Krikke› Schaap Schouwenaar ‹Swagerman› Van de Ven ‹Wever› Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA: 12) Brinkman Atsma Van Bijsterveld Flierman ‹Hoekstra› N.J. van Kesteren Knapen ‹Lokin-Sassen› Martens Oomen Van Rij Rombouts De Vries-Leggedoor Democrats 66 (D66: 10) ‹De Graaf› Engels ‹Andriessen› Backer ‹Bredenoord› ‹Gout-van Sinderen› Pijlman Prast Rinnooy Kan ‹Schaper› Schnabel Stienen ‹Vink› Party for Freedom (PVV: 9) Faber ‹Aardema› ‹Van Beek› Dercksen ‹P. van Dijk› Van Hattem ‹T. van Kesteren› Kok ‹Kops› ‹Markuszower› ‹Popken› ‹Van der Sluijs› Van Strien ‹Van Weerdenburg› Socialist Party (SP: 9) Kox Van Apeldoorn Don ‹Elzinga› Gerkens Köhler Meijer ‹Overbeek› ‹Reuten› ‹Ruers› ‹Wezel› Labour Party (PvdA: 8) ‹Barth› Postema Sent ‹Beuving› ‹Fiers› Nooren ‹Schrijver› ‹Sini› Verheijen ‹Vlietstra› ‹Vreeman› ‹Van Zandbrink› GroenLinks (GL: 4) Strik ‹Binnema› Ganzevoort Lindmeijer ‹Vos› Christian Union (CU: 3) Kuiper ‹Bikker› Ester ‹Sietsma› Party for the Animals (PvdD: 2) Koffeman ‹Van Leeuwen› ‹Teunissen› Reformed Political Party (SGP: 2) Schalk D. van Dijk 50PLUS (50+: 2) Nagel ‹Baay-Timmerman› ‹Van Rooijen› Independent Senate Group (OSF: 1) Ten Hoeve Bold indicates the parliamentary leader (first mentioned); ‹Guillemets› indicate a member who did not serve the full term

v t e Members of the Senate of the Netherlands (2011–2015) Senate 7 June 2011 – 8 June 2015 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD: 16) Hermans Beckers Bröcker Broekers-Knol (president) ‹Bruijn› Dupuis Duthler F. de Graaf (president) De Grave Huijbregts-Schiedon Van Kappen Kneppers-Heynert Knip ‹Van Rey› Schaap Schouwenaar Swagerman Labour Party (PvdA: 14) Barth Beuving ‹Duivesteijn› Ter Horst ‹Koning› Koole Linthorst ‹Meurs› ‹Noten› Postema ‹Putters› Schrijver Sent Sylvester Vlietstra De Vries ‹Witteveen› ‹Van Zandbrink› Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA: 11) Brinkman Van Bijsterveld Essers Flierman Franken Hoekstra Van der Linden Lokin-Sassen Martens Terpstra De Vries-Leggedoor Party for Freedom (PVV: 10) ‹M. de Graaf› ‹De Graaff› Faber ‹Van Beek› Van Dijk Frijters-Klijnen ‹Klever› ‹Kok› ‹Kops› Popken Reynaers Sørensen Van Strien Socialist Party (SP: 8) Kox Elzinga ‹Gerkens› ‹Meijer› Quik-Schuijt Reuten Ruers Slagter-Roukema ‹Smaling› ‹Vliegenthart› Democrats 66 (D66: 5) Van Boxtel Backer Engels Th. de Graaf Scholten GroenLinks (GL: 5) Thissen De Boer Ganzevoort Strik Vos Christian Union (CU: 2) Kuiper Ester Reformed Political Party (SGP: 1) Holdijk 50PLUS (50+: 1) Nagel Party for the Animals (PvdD: 1) Koffeman Independent Senate Group (OSF: 1) De Lange Bold indicates the parliamentary leader (first mentioned); ‹Guillemets› indicate a member who did not serve the full term

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frank van Kappen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_van_Kappen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_van_Kappen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.