Interview with Lieutenant Commander (Ret’d) Kevin J. Macdonald
Narrator: Lieutenant Commander (Ret’d) Kevin J Macdonald Interviewer: Interviewed by Callum Thomson Interview Date and Location 17 March 2024, Via Zoom. Synopsis: Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Kevin J Macdonald speaks of his career in the Royal Canadian Navy. Beginning as an officer cadet while at Royal Roads University and the Royal Military Collage, to involvement Narcotics interdiction, defence procurement and finally a posting at NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) during the first gulf war. 0:00 - 0:30 – Preamble. 0:30 – 7:14 - Early life, family military history and reasons for joining the Royal Canadian Navy. 7:14 – 19:21 - Officer cadet training at Royal Roads University and the Royal Military collage. Training at sea. 19:21 – 31:15 - Narcotics interdiction on the west coast. Cooperation with the US navy. 31:15 – 35:36 - Time as course training officer, Computer science degree. Operations officer at CFB Esquimalt. 35:36 – 37:43 - Participation in Canadian patrol frigate procurement process. 37:43 – 41:55 - Role of Combat control officers and training. 41:55 – 48:09 - Time as a Submariner weapons officer, the end of the Canadian Nuclear submarine program. Cooperation with Australia. 48:09 – 54:23 - Seconded to NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). Opinion on the origin and true purpose of NATO. 54:23 – 59:00 - Stumbling into being selected for NATO posting. 59:00 – 1:05:43 - Role as an intelligence officer at Allied Command Europe (ACE), Intelligence maritime and policy officer. Experience working with allied military personnel after fall of Berlin wall. 1:05:43 – 1:08:30 - NATO response to Invasion of Kuwait 1990, 1st Gulf war planning, Operation Desert Shield and Storm. 1:08:30 – 1:16:28 - NATO concerns about Kurdish insurgency in Turkey, possibility of Iraqi Incursion. Structure of ACE mobile force, Canadian involvement. 1:16:28 – 1:18:45 - Training for NATO posting, Operations experience in Canadian Atlantic fleet. NATO intelligence training. 1:18:45 – 1:27:17 - Retirement, Post-coldwar military spending cuts, Force reduction plan. 1:27:17 – 1:31:31 - Social expectations at SHAPE, soft diplomacy, Image of Canada in Europe, Canada as a bridge between Europe and the United States. 1:31:31 – 1:32:07 – Conclusion. Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 59:00 – 1:05:43 - Role as an intelligence officer at Allied Command Europe (ACE), Intelligence maritime and policy officer. Experience working with allied military personnel after fall of Berlin wall, German reunification. Concerns about integrating former Warsaw Pact personnel into NATO and lingering German territorial claims in eastern Europe. 1:05:43 – 1:16:28 - NATO response to Invasion of Kuwait 1990, 1st Gulf war planning, Operation Desert Shield and Storm. NATO concerns about Kurdish insurgency in Turkey, possibility of Iraqi Incursion. Structure of ACE mobile force, Canadian involvement.
- In Collection:
- Interview #SC141_MK_908
- 01:32:07
- Canadian Military Diplomacy: The Role of Defence Attaches, Liaisons and Seconded Personnel
- 48.4311, -123.4317
- 29.5, 47.75
- 39, 35
- 33, 44
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- Accession Number: 2025-002; Series 2; Item: 908
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2024. Recorded in digital format by interviewer. Keywords supplied by interviewer. Metadata by KD.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI