B OO K R E V I E W S A SOLDIER FIRST: encountered during his career – go a long way to explain BULLETS, BUREAUCRATS many of his subsequent motives and actions as leader of the CF, and as the uniformed head of the profession of AND POLITICS OF WAR arms in . by Scarborough, ON: HarperCollins Canada, 2009 Hillier’s reflections include the perceived nega- 509 pages, $34.99 tive impact he thought late-20th Century leadership had upon ISBN-10: 1554684919 the existing structure, organizational philosophy, and doc- ISBN-13: 9781554684915 trine of the Canadian Forces. He recounts that, as CDS, he Reviewed by: Bill Bentley remembered the lesson he had learned on his very first train- ing course as a young officer, opining that it was not how to eneral Rick Hillier was arguably the most be a tank troop commander but of how not to lead soldiers. dynamic, public, and, yes, controversial Chief Later, as a more senior mid-ranking officer, he remembers of the Defence Staff (CDS) in the history of observing that the army and the rest of the Canadian Forces that office. He was also remarkably and unusu- were becoming a bureaucratic organization, administered by ally influential in the managers, not leaders. As deputy spheresG of foreign and defence policy, commander of the army, he saw this although the depth and longevity of assessment reinforced in a discussion that influence remains to be seen. with Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran Closer to home, his direct impact on upon Pat’s return from his combat the Canadian Forces (CF) was truly mission in . The general dramatic both in terms of how he recalls Stogran’s statement that the drew the attention of the nation to command and control structure in the their armed forces, and the structural Canadian Forces “…just won’t work. and doctrinal changes he wrought Not if we are into agile operations during his tenure as CDS. and the heavy shooting starts. It just won’t work the way we are set up A Soldier First provides consid- back here.” There seems little doubt erable insight into the man who so that, by the time Rick Hillier took publicly represented the Canadian over as CDS, he had major changes military for three years. The book in mind. covers the general’s complete career, from officer cadet to four-star gen- Thus, on assuming the office of eral. In fact, of 23 chapters, only the CDS, the general immediately set out last eight recount his time as CDS. to radically reorganize the Canadian The first 15 chapters, however, con- Forces, first disbanding the Deputy tain themes that help account for how Chief of the Defence Staff Group, he was shaped as a soldier: an out- which was, until then, responsible for standing officer and a leader of con- all operations, both domestic and for- siderable prowess. Woven throughout eign. In its place, he established four his account is his obvious love of soldiering, and the deep operational level command headquarters – Canadian admiration he has always felt for the men and women in uni- Expeditionary Force Command, Canada Command, form who served alongside him throughout his career. His Operational Support Command, and the Special Operations determination as CDS to showcase these soldiers, sailors, Forces Command. The promulgation of his six ‘Principles of airmen, and airwomen, and to explain to Canadians what Transformation’ set the tone for the force. It was intended to they mean to the country, reflects this devotion. establish a more command-centric philosophy, to emphasize leadership over management, and to clarify responsibilities A second key theme is the extensive and formative and accountabilities. The result, at the time of this review, is experience derived from the important command positions perhaps the most significant reorganization of the Canadian General Hillier held, especially as a senior officer. Beyond military since Unification and Integration in the 1960s. There commanding his own armoured regiment as a lieutenant- is no doubt that General Hillier was committed to the propo- colonel, Rick commanded a Canadian brigade, served as sition that leaders create and change cultures, while managers Deputy Commander of 3rd US Corps in Fort Hood Texas, and administrators live within them. Unfortunately, these commanded the Multi-National Division Southwest in events and actions are only touched upon in a few paragraphs. Bosnia in 2000, served as Deputy Commander of the We will have to wait for further first-hand details of how the , and then as the Commander, over the general engineered this major change management exercise – period 2001-2003. In 2004, he commanded the International should he decide to write more on this important subject. In Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Finally, he was the meantime, a good account of these events can be found in appointed CDS in February 2005. These experiences, com- Lieutenant-General (ret’d) ’s recent book, Inside bined with a third theme – the nature of leadership he Canadian Forces Transformation.

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A Soldier First provides some insight into a number of Soldier First can mislead the reader about the full history of other issues that generated considerable controversy as this effort, a history that predates General Hillier’s arrival as General Hillier’s period in office as CDS unfolded. There are CDS. The fault undoubtedly lies in the fact that the general interesting accounts of major equipment acquisition debates, was serving outside of Canada during the critical period from the general’s personal recollection of the Afghan detainee 1998 until late in 2001. Upon his return, as Deputy Commander problem as it had developed to that date, and his relationships of the Army, he was further distracted by the terrorist attacks with the three Ministers of National Defence for whom he in New York and Washington, and by dramatic events that fol- worked. Those relationships he established with Bill Graham lowed, including our first combat deployment to Afghanistan. and Peter Mackay were excellent, that with Gord O’Connor, a little strained from time-to-time, but the general maintains Be that as it may be, the general writes that when he that the tension reported in the media was overblown. Hillier took over as brigade commander in mid-1996, the CF was gives his Public Service colleagues a mixed review, highly still suffering from the fallout of Somalia and hiding from praising some while castigating others. On balance, however, the public, fearful of doing anything, except for what had the impression he leaves is negative. A perhaps less partisan been perceived as being absolutely essential. The CF could account of these relationships, based upon several confiden- not hide from the public for long, since, in October 1997, tial interviews, can be found in Philippe Lagasse’s “A Mixed the government had established the Minister’s Monitoring Legacy: General Rick Hillier and Canadian Defence 2005 – Committee, chaired by the Honourable John Fraser, to over- 2008.”1 Finally, Rick’s determination to very publicly treat see the implementation of the many reform initiatives pro- returning casualties of war, to honour them properly, and to posed in the Defence Minister’s Report to the Prime Minister remind Canadians of the ultimate sacrifice that their sons and on Leadership and Management in the Canadian Forces daughters had made, comes through ‘loud and clear.’ (April 1997). This committee published quarterly public reports for the next five years. One of the most interesting accounts in the book for this reviewer is that of General Hillier’s prominent role in both More to the point, however, is the commitment and hard the formulation of the Liberal Government’s foreign and work of General and his successor as CDS, defence policy statements, and, of course, with respect to General , together with Vice-Admiral Gary Canada’s role in Afghanistan. In both cases, the general Garnet, Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire, Dr. John Scott received considerable criticism in the bureaucratic halls of Cowan, Colonel Bernd Horn, Capt(N) Al Okros, and power in , as well as, to some extent, in the national Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Lortie. They, along with several oth- media. The argument is herein made that soldiers provide ers, set out to revitalize the professionalism and leadership of military advice, while politicians and senior civil authorities both the officer and the NCM Corps through a combination of make policy. There is no doubt that his views and advice had personal example, the promulgation of much needed formally an inordinate influence, compared to that wielded by any of approved doctrine, and significant organizational change. The his predecessors. However, much of the criticism levelled result, over the period 1998-2005, was the production of two misses the point in two respects. First, the prime minister, strategic documents – Officership 2020, and NCM Corps , and the defence minister, Bill Graham – both of 2020, pointing the way forward for both these corps, and whom were highly intelligent, independent-minded men – signed off by the sitting Minister of National Defence. In were always firmly in control. Searching for new, imaginative 2003, Duty With Honour: The Profession of Arms in Canada, policy initiatives, they were hard-pressed to find them any- was published and was publicly endorsed by the Governor where as professed by their traditional advisors on these mat- General as Commander-in-Chief. In 2005, the first of the full ters. General Hillier, in keeping with his very decisive nature, suite of four leadership manuals – Leadership in the Canadian unabashedly filled the gap – providing advice that the legiti- Forces: Conceptual Foundations – was published. In organi- mate, elected policymakers accepted. zational terms, both the Canadian Forces Leadership Institute and the Canadian Defence Academy were stood up early in Second, and more importantly for Canadian civil-mili- the 21st Century. These measures were and remain the founda- tary relations over the longer term, Hillier seemed to instinc- tion for the ongoing reform of the Canadian Forces, and, I tively understand Henry Kissinger’s perspective when, as US believe, played a significant role in preparing the ground for Secretary of State, Kissinger wrote: “A complete separation General Hillier’s subsequent, and vitally important, CF of military strategy and policy at the highest levels can be Transformation Project. achieved only to the detriment of both. It causes military force to become identified with the most absolute application A Soldier First is an enjoyable, informative, and often of power and it tempts diplomacy into an over concern with insightful account of a remarkable soldier’s career, written in finesse. Since the most difficult problems of national policy the personable, ‘folksy’ style for which General Hillier was are in the area where politics, economics, psychological and famous. It raises, but, of course, it cannot resolve, the peren- military factors overlap, we should give up the fiction that nial debate about whether men make history or history makes there is any such thing as ‘purely’ military advice.”2 the man. The events and circumstances in Canada leading up to and throughout General Hillier’s time as CDS were dra- Notwithstanding General Rick Hillier’s contribution to matic and unique, demanding action regardless of who was in the reform of the Canadian Forces, and to the re-establishment charge. At the same time, the general’s particular experience, of a strong, respectful relationship with Canadian society, A powerful personality, and leadership style clearly shaped

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Canada’s response in ways that perhaps no other individual could have accomplished. The dynamic between history and Lieutenant-Colonel (ret’d) L. William Bentley, MSM, CD, PhD, is the man should be kept in mind while reading this highly rec- Director of the Canadian Forces Leadership Institute in the Canadian ommended book. Defence Academy, Kingston.

NOTES

1. Philippe Lagasse, “A Mixed Legacy: General International Journal, Summer, 2009. Collins, 1994), p. 120. Rick Hillier and Canadian Defence,” in 2. Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy (New York: Harper

CANADA’S NAVY: THE FIRST Chief of the Maritime Staff. Due to the navy's ongoing high CENTURY (SECOND EDITION) tempo commitments, the midlife refit for the frigates, which by Marc Milner had been planned to start in 2002, would be delayed until 2010. In addition, the cuts to personnel from 1995 estab- Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2010 lishment levels would continue to haunt, and the navy 391 pages, $35.00 would continue to ‘hollow out.’ Despite increased funding ISBN: 978-0-8020-9604-3 from the Conservative Government, the long-promised ship Reviewed by: Jurgen Duewel borne helicopter still has yet to arrive, and the replacements for the two replenishment vessels, HMCS Preserver and n 1999, Marc Milner published Canada's Navy: The HMCS Protecteur, appear to have stalled. As Milner First Century. The book was considered by many to reminds the reader, the present situation for the navy is be one of the best and most read- sadly all too familiar. In order to be rele- able books on the history of the vant to Canadians, the navy needs to Canadian Navy. Unfortunately, it remain engaged in the world and demon- Iarrived 11 years too early. Milner has strate its value as an instrument of gov- now completed his work with the Second ernment policy. However, due to its com- Edition, which adds a 16th chapter, enti- mitments over the past years, the navy tled Global Reach 1991-2010, to the orig- finds itself in the unenviable position of inal publication. This final chapter, along needing to recover with respect to both with a new preface and epilogue, does an personnel and the refitment of her ships, admirable job of explaining the turmoil while still maintaining operations at the that existed during the early 2000s, and four corners of the globe: i.e., chasing the chaos that erupted in the world in the pirates off the coast of East Africa, pro- wake of the 9/11 attacks. In 2001, the viding humanitarian aid to Haiti, support- Canadian Forces (CF) and the Canadian ing NATO, and conducting sovereignty Navy were still trying to recover from an patrols in the Arctic. "age of darkness" and massive cuts to the Armed Forces when the terrorists struck. The book contains a couple of editing All of a sudden, the leadership was errors, such as placing the timing of the required to change focus and was now London attacks in 2002 vice 2005, and an compelled to ramp up personnel and overly-simplified explanation of transfor- equipment in order to respond to the new threat. As luck mation and its impact upon the navy. Notwithstanding, this would have it, Milner explains, the navy's newly launched book, like the first edition, provides an outstanding narrative frigates arrived just in the nick of time. The Chrétien of the history the Canadian Navy, and should hold a place of Government, while not wanting to be drawn into a ground honour on every naval officer's bookshelf. war in Iraq, nevertheless wanted to be in step with the rest of Canada's NATO allies and the collective reaction to al Qaeda. Unfortunately, the ‘Ready Aye Ready’ attitude Lieutenant-Commander Jurgen Duewel is a Maritime Surface Officer on would turn out to be a ‘double-edged sword,’ and the navy staff at the Canadian Defence Academy in Kingston, responsible for would soon become a victim of its own successes. As good Officer Professional Development, Period 3. He has a Master's Degree in as the frigates and their crews were, and they were very War Studies from the Royal Military College, and is currently working on good, there were too few hulls and too few people to con- a doctorate in Educational Leadership. stitute a sustainable presence for even the limited, two- year mandate of Operation Apollo, imposed by the then-

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