Interview with Eric MacArthur

Narrator: Colonel Eric MacArthur Interviewer: Interviewed by Josh Kotorynski Interview Date and Location 12 March 2024, Victoria BC Synopsis: This interview started with an introduction to MacArthur’s life before the military, growing up in a military family and his reasoning for joining the infantry. MacArthur then discussed his time in school at Royal Roads and RMC before getting into his training to become an infantry officer, what his experiences were like and, things that he thought could have been done better, changes he made as an instructor, as he discusses later in the interview. The interview continued with questions about his time as a junior officer commanding an infantry platoon in the 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment. The focus shifted to his time working with the British army, working at a much higher command level and gaining different experiences than he would have back in Canada. MacArthur then talked about the mess culture in Britain, how important it was, and how he tried to bring that back with him when he came back to Canada. The topic of training courses came back, but this time, MacArthur was an instructor on them. He was able to influence change in the courses that he thought focused too little on actual infantry tactics and instruct those more. After this, MacArthur talked about the transition from an operational role to an administrative role, then to being a student on courses, a shift that happened many times throughout his career. After this, he discussed the challenges and different types of conflict the infantry was preparing for during his career and the impact of improving communications technology. He answered some questions about the work-up training and actual deployment to Cyprus, then got into some of the complications, the adoption and change in the capability of new military technology and used small arms as an example. The questions then got more into theory, specifically the relevance of the infantry and how the role of the infanteer has changed between the Cold War and now. The significance of taking and holding ground in the role of the infanteer changed dramatically through MacArthur's career; when he first joined, there was major emphasis put on being able to hold ground, but with Cold War doctrine developing, the focus shifted to the elimination of the enemy in a mobile conflict. Next was a brief discussion about STANO technology, the differences between light and mounted infantry, and how armoured vehicles and air mobile capabilities with helicopters change that. MacArthur then talked about the core of the infantry being the infantry section and how all other capabilities are built around that. The next questions were about the adoption and increased training in dispersed operations as well as the CAF taking mortars away from the infantry and removing their indirect fire capability, which MacArthur believes is a big mistake. The interview then shifted focus to Canadian air defence capabilities and the lack there of, drone use in the CAF, recruiting issues and how the recent budget cuts affect these. The last military-focused questions covered Canadian readiness to fight a war and potential future changes to the infantry. The interview ended with a discussion about MacArthur's post-military life, his job as a professor, teaching across the world but as a civilian, and even teaching Ukrainians before the conflict escalated. 0:00 - 04:37 Introduction, life before the military, reasons for joining the infantry. 04:37 - 06:00 Royal Roads and RMC. 06:00 - 07:26 Basic training and infantry officer training. 07:26 - 08:25 Time as a junior officer commanding an infantry platoon, 2 RCR. 08:25 - 13:00 Exchange with the British army, Company 2IC, Learning experiences. 13:00 - 14:18 Mess culture. 14:18 - 16:08 How experience gained through training and working as a platoon commander translated into instructing on courses. 16:08 - 18:02 Transition from operations to administrative role. 18:02 - 20:15 New challenges and types of conflict. 20:15 - 23:35 Changing communication technology. 23:35 - 26:05 Work-up training and deployment to Cyprus. 26:05 - 31:30 Complications brought on by military technology, adoption of new technology and small arms, and change in capability. 31:30 - 32:41 Relevance of infantry. 32:41 - 34:02 Change in the role of the infanteer between the Cold War and now, the cost of war. 34:02 - 37:15 Taking and holding ground, German doctrine, dispersed operations. 37:15 - 38:35 STANO technology. 38:35 - 40:58 Light and mounted infantry, role of armoured vehicles. 40:58 - 43:00 The infantry section, platoon, company and battalion. 43:00 - 46:52 Dispersed operations, ADO in Ukraine, ADO in the CAF, bringing mortars back to the infantry. 46:52 - 49:00 Current air defence capabilities of the infantry, NATO air defence capabilities, point protection. 49:00 - 51:22 Drone use in the CAF. 51:22 - 55:19 Current CAF budget cuts and their impact on operational readiness and recruiting issues. 55:19 - 58:21 Canadian readiness to fight a near-peer conflict. 58:21 - 59:46 Potential future changes for the infantry, increase in protection (air defence, electronic warfare). 59:46 - 1:04:20 Post-military life, working as an educator and advisor, teaching Ukrainians. Suggested Clip for Archive: 34:02 - 37:15, Discussion on infantry doctrine changing throughout the Cold War, taking and holding ground is no longer significant.

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