Kilford, Christopher: my experience as a Canadian Defence Attaché (March 24, 2017)

ABSTRACT: This interview provides an overview of Christopher Kilfords career in the Canadian Armed Forces. Highlights include his Topics include his experience as the Acting Director Future Security Analysis and Deputy Director where he was responsible for writing the the Canada First Defence Strategy. It also touches upon his observations as the Military Liaison Officer to the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence. A large component of the audio recording features his experience as the Deputy Military Attaché in Kabul, Afghanistan during the Afghanistan War from 2009-2010. It also includes his role as the Military Attaché in Ankara Turkey where he was cross accredited to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan from 2011 to 2014. In Turkey, there were two critical issues that he had to monitor: the stability of the conflict between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and the Syrian Civil War. Audio Time Codes 0:37:00: - 06:00 Decision to Join the Armed Forces & Path to Officer Training 0:16:00 – 0:22:00 Deputy Director, National Defence 2005 on Writing the Canadian Defence Plan for Paul Martin’s Liberal and Stephen Harper’s Conservative Governments. 0:23:00 –-0:29:18 Experience as the Liaison Officer to the Senate Committee for Security and National Defence 029:00 -041:48 Training Experience for the Military Attaché Program and Surveillance in Turkey 045:00 – 048:00 Recollection of First Day as the Deputy Advisor in Afghanistan 049:00 -051:00 Relationship with the Canadian Embassy Staff in Kabul 051:00 – 056:00 Observations on Rebuilding the Afghan National Army and Police, Assessing training and the development of recruits 059:00 – 01:03:00 Utilization of Afghanistan Police in Counter Terrorism Efforts, Issues of Corruption in Afghan Security Institutions and External Threats to Alliance Operations 01:03:00 – 01:09:00 Role in Coordinating Afghan Exchange Military Training Programs and Observations of ISAF Strategy 01:10:00 – 01:17:00 - Observations of the Taliban Rehabilitation Program, Visit to the Detention Centre at the Bagram Air Force Base 01:22:00 – 01:28:00 Reporting Information to Ottawa 01:28:00 – 01:33:00 Relationships with Foreign Attaches and Intelligence Received About the Syrian Civil War 01:33:00 – 01:35:00 Meetings with Turkish Mayors and Governors during Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Turkish Peace Talks 01:42:00 - 01:44:00 Preparing for Attaché Role in Description of Role in Ankara. 01:45:00 – 01:49:00 Relations with the Militaries in Turkey, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia 01:49:00 – 02:03:00 Experience in Turkey During the Syrian Civil War; Meetings with opposition fighters 02:04:00 –0 2:08:00 Observations of Turkish Military, Support of ISIL and Fighting Against the PKK 02:10:00—02:12:00 Visits to Refugee Camps and economic status of Turkey 02:26:00 – 02:30:00 Observations about the Turkish Military 02:30:00 - 02:38:00 Observations on Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan 02:38:00 - -2:40:00 Frontlines of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 02:40:00 –02:43:00 Canadian Relations with the Georgia Military 02:48:00 –02:55:00 After the Canadian Armed Forces A Career Change in Media, Ottawa Citizen Contributions and TV Interviews and Teaching, Canadian Staff College 02:59:00 –03:04:00 Experience in Afghanistan, Bombing Outside of ISAF Headquarters Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 01:49:00 – 02:03:00 Experience in Turkey During the Syrian Civil War; Meetings with opposition fighters 02:04:00 –0 2:08:00 Observations of Turkish Military, Support of ISIL and Fighting Against the PKK 02:59:00 –03:04:00 Experience in Afghanistan, Bombing Outside of ISAF Headquarters

An interview/narrative of Christopher Kilford's experiences with the Canadian Armed Forces. Lt-Colonel Kilford served as a Defence Attaché. Interview took place on March 24, 2017 in Victoria, B.C.

Interviewee: Kilford, Christopher

Interviewer: Currie, Heather

Rank: LCol.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Kilford, Christopher
• Currie, Heather

Subject

• Military history
• Afghan Wars
• Armed Forces--Officers

Language

• eng

Date created

• March 24, 2017

Relation

• Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 1 sound recording (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Afghanistan
• British Columbia--Victoria

Coordinates

• 33, 66
• 48.4359, -123.35155

Additional physical characteristics

• Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews
• sound recordings
• reminiscences

Archival item identifier

• KC_847

Fonds title

• Military oral history collection

Fonds identifier

• SC141

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection

Date digitized

• March 24, 2017

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 161 kbps. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2017. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

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

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/871w-2m39

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