Ank Bijleveld
A steadfast Dutch minister who steered her nation's military through complex international missions while championing cultural change within its ranks.
Born 1962 (age 64)·Dutch politician·Birthday: March 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ank Bijleveld's path to the helm of the Dutch Ministry of Defence was paved with decades of civic service, from local politics in her hometown of Raalte to senior roles in the national police and intelligence services. Appointed Defence Minister in 2017, she oversaw the Netherlands' contributions to NATO missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, while simultaneously confronting urgent internal challenges. She became a central figure in addressing a deep-seated misconduct scandal within the armed forces, pushing for greater accountability and a shift toward a more inclusive culture. Her tenure, marked by a direct and pragmatic style, balanced the hard realities of global security with the imperative to reform a venerable institution from within.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ank was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ank Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Ank's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Netherlands' Minister of Defence from 2017 to 2021, overseeing all military operations and policy.
- Initiated and oversaw a major independent investigation into systemic misconduct and abuse of power within the Dutch armed forces.
- Managed the Dutch military contribution to the NATO mission in Afghanistan during the final years of the Resolute Support Mission.
- Previously served as the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism in the Netherlands.
Did You Know?
Before entering national politics, she was the mayor of the municipality of Hof van Twente.
She holds a degree in social work from the Hogeschool Windesheim in Zwolle.
She was the second woman to hold the position of Dutch Minister of Defence.
She began her career working for the Dutch National Police Agency.
“Security is not a given; it requires constant investment and vigilance.”
