George Pastoor

Commodore George Pastoor graduated from the Naval Academy in 1996. In the years that followed, he completed his master’s degree in Navigation Technology at the University of Nottingham and the Principal Warfare Officer course.

After early fleet duties, including the commando of Coastguard Cutter Jaguar in the Caribbean, he served from 2009 as an exchange officer within the USN Expeditionary Strike Group. During his period in the USA he was responsible for the planning of (inter)national exercises. From 2012 he was the Operations Officer on LPD HNLMS Johan de Witt and subsequently filled a position as staff officer in the Sea Training Command.

From 2016 he served as the Netherlands liaison to the UK’s Sea Training, completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course, and obtained an MA with distinction from King’s College London (2020). He commanded frigate HNMLS Tromp and, as commander of HNLMS Evertsen, deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group. Promoted to Captain he became Head of Naval Requirements at the Dutch Ministry of Defence and led EUNAVFOR ASPIDES.

In 2024 he was promoted to Commodore and appointed as Commander Netherlands Fleet and Commander Netherlands Maritime Force. In his free time he enjoys travelling and playing golf. He is married to Patricia and has four children.