Interview with Chris Henderson

Narrator: Henderson, Christopher (Chris), 1964 – Interviewer: Interviewed by Oryssia Ochitwa Interview Date and Location: 3 March 2025, electronic interview over Zoom (recorded in Victoria BC.) Synopsis: This interview covers Retired Captain (Navy) Chris Henderson’s time as a public affairs officer in the CAF. He discusses his childhood in a military family, his experiences in Britain and travelling. He talks about joining the military due to the financial climate and a desire to represent Canada. He talks about his time as a Naval warfare officer and with the. HMCS Huron, his transition to a role in Public affairs, and his time working in Canada. He talks about training for Public Affairs. He discusses the difference between time spent in Canada and deployments, and some challenges that come with becoming a Public Affairs Officer . He discusses his experience in the First Gulf War. He discusses being a full-time Public Affairs Officer. He discusses his deployment in Bosnia with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, his interactions with local media, and his time being held hostage. He discusses his time in Afghanistan, and some of the differences between UN and Nato missions. He discusses the fire on the submarine HMCS Chicoutimi and his role assisting with the response to it. He talks about how changes in policy have led to more privacy and discusses social media’s impact and the changing news cycle. He also discusses his time outside the military and how helpful the skills he learned as a Public Affairs Officer have been. 0:00 – 0:40 - introduction 0:40 – 3:08 - Chris’ Childhood in a military family 3:08 – 5:37 - Deciding to join the CAF; financial climate and public opinion of the military in the 1980s 5:37 – 8:03 - time as a Naval Warfare Officer; traveling the pacific; time on HMCS Huron 8:03 – 9:40 - Preparations for the First Gulf War; circumnavigating the globe 9:40 – 10:17 - taking Pride in having the Confidence of the Captain 10:17 –15:24 - being given a Unit Public Affairs Officer roll and transitioning to Public Affairs 15:24 –17:34 - working in Canada as a public affairs officer and tasks as part of a “Purple Trade” able to work with all branches; summary of deployments 17:34 – 20:48 - training for working in Public Affairs, on the job training; journalism training 20:48 – 23:56 - differences between working in Canada and on deployment; mission focus in Bosnia; comraderies on deployment 23:56 – 29:40 - Public Affairs Officers role as advisors to people of high rank; difficulties of adjusting to the roll and assistance given by the more senior officers 29:40 – 31: 38 - Balancing deployments and desire to be deployed with things like family. 31:38 – 35:09 - Experience in the Gulf War; mostly resolved before Chris’ arrival but mines and pollution still left 35:09 –37:03 The differences between part- and full-time duties as a Public affairs officer 37:03 – 37:30 - ZOOM issues; a very odd jump cut is addressed 37:30 – 38:30 - The differences between part- and full-time duties as a PAO second part 38:30 – 39:42 – Little difference made in the Gulf War by being amongst many countries 39:42 – Captain Henderson’s experience in Bosnia, with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, in 1994; multiple groups trying to co-exist; mortars being dropped near camps; trying to keep Canadian media up to date, engaged, and supportive 45:42 – His roll discussing low-level incidents 47:22 – experience witnessing people fighting their neighbours, and all sides telling the same story of trying to defend their homes 49:03 – experience talking to local media in Bosnia 51:14 – 56:54 attempting to take videos to send home of soldiers; being taken hostage and held for 16 days 56:54 – 1:06:48 NATO and Canadian response to hostage situation; his experience getting videos back to Canadian troops 1:06:49 – 1:10:51 - Experiences in UN peacekeeping missions; experiences in Afghanistan; compared to NATO missions 1:10:51 –1:13:56 experience as part of the International Security Assistance Force 1:13:56 -1:15:52 - Experiences in Kabul and comparisons and contrasts to other deployments 1:15:52 – 1:18:33 - UN, NATO, and individual nations all co-existing in Afghanistan; collaboration 1:18:33 – 1:22:41 - Experiences with HMCS Chicoutimi; being sent to Glasgow; trying to ensure Canada didn’t lose submarine capabilities and framing things towards a goal 1:22:41 – 1:25:30 - Experiences in Glasgow 1:25:30 – 1:29:53 - Board inquiry in Canada following the fire and handling the media at the time 1:29:53 – 1:34:24 – Changes to Government communications, but possibly due to Stephen Harper and policy change not due to technology 1:34:24 – 1:35:24 sees social media as having made some of communications irrelevant; difficult to change people’s minds 1:35:24 - 1:36:08 – change in news cycle; change in predictability 1:36:08 – 1:36:44 – retirement 1:36:44 – life after the military; experience with DND and the coastguard since; public affairs as a civilian 1:38:13 – Cap on Public Affairs ranks; public affairs as good training for other careers and positions in or out of the military

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