Jules Xavier
Shilo Stag

Leaving the prairies behind as the Wood family returns to Ontario, LCol Chris Wood laments what he will miss about his two-year stint as CFB Shilo’s Base Commander.

Yes, winters are on his list of likes, as well as sunsets and seeing the Northern Lights. The pace, too, will something he will have to adjust to when he hits Ottawa traffic again. Not the same when it comes driving in Brandon and its hinterland.

He will also his Command Team partner, now Capt Jeremy Abrahamse, who is heading west, joining the 3CDSG team at Garrison Edmonton as well as his family – wife Ashley and children Madison and Bradyn. Ashley and Madison surprised him by arriving on the Base so they could be part of his CoA, and his promotion to captain. Both helped with his pips.

Prior to the CoC, the Stag had an opportunity to do a Q&A with LCol Wood regarding his two years as BComd, and what’s next when his comes to his military career.

Shilo Stag (SS): Looking back on the past two years, what were some of the challenges you faced as BComd, and how did you deal with them?

LCol Chris Wood (CW): “I was continually conscious of the task of [re]building trust. As the new person in the chair, I certainly felt welcomed, but I was conscious there is an expectation that ‘things had to get done.’ This is true from both at the unit, but also at ‘higher headquarters.’

“Because schedules often ‘flex,’ I did find it more challenging than I expected to make tangible advances that were synchronized with DND and CAF-level initiatives. Resource constraints are always a challenge. I was conscious I was asking the entire team to think on ‘innovative’ ideas, suggestions to improve efficiently and, frankly, what tasks could we possibly not do, but in many cases I could not act on these suggestions.

“Finally, the modern military community is well-connected and well-informed. There were many material comparisons between CFB Shilo and other Bases. As for how I dealt with the challenges, I tried to make and keep momentum on initiatives, hear people out, and appreciate what is great about the community.”

SS: How did being BComd during the COVID-19 pandemic affect your job? What was your approach to this health scare in order to keep soldiers/families safe on the Base?

CW: “Our military community is disciplined, and collectively are willing to live with constraints for the benefit of the greater good. Personally, I’m a technically-minded fellow, and so reading the trends and adhering to our medical community’s intelligence was a no-brainer.

“In regard to my approach, I wanted to ensure members had the opportunity to voice their opinions to leadership. Those interactions gave me the opportunity to explain the logic being followed, and to discuss similarities and differences between provincial-level and CAF restrictions.”

SS: When you recall your CoC parade when you arrived in 2021 following the death of outgoing BComd LCol Jeff Lyttle, during the pandemic, how will you approach this ceremony with incoming BComd LCol David Cronk?

CW: “This Change of Command ceremony will also be in the Canoe River Memorial Park. The impact of the leader on any military organization is huge, as was felt by the tragic loss of LCol Lyttle. So, adhering to the reconstitution directive to minimize the burden on unit soldiers, I’m looking to stream and upload the main parts of the ceremony.”

SS: What are some of your proudest moments? Favourite memories you’ll look back on when you finally retire yourself from the CAF?

CW: “Difficult to say at this point — I feel you work hard every day, and some things take, some things don’t. I’m confident I did what I could and added some value. As for favourite memories … the winters, the Northern lights, sunsets, seeing the Gunline in action and the validation exercise for the soldiers heading overseas, there were lots.”

SS: What events will you miss being part of, when you leave the BComd’s chair and return to Ottawa?

CW: “I loved the Friday night movies at GSH and the community barbecues. Having served a tour in Germany on exchange with the British Army, I’ll miss the upcoming Oktoberfest! But who knows, maybe the CDS will send his or her best staff officer to Shilo to observe and report!”

SS: What was it like working with your Command Team partner BRSM CWO Jeremy Abrahamse? How did he make your job easier with his personality and expertise?

CW: “Absolutely. I think the CAF did a great job of preparing me for the job, and the Canadian Army again crafted a great leadership team. The organizational construct of the Base is solid, albeit under-resourced. But the work-ethic of the entire leadership team was impressive, whether it was military or Public Servant.

“Speaking specifically in regard to CWO Abrahamse, I could not have hoped for a more dedicated and capable leader. He always provided his best advice, would never let ‘balls be dropped,’ and always ensured the soldier’s perspective was heard. Now it’s interesting that you ask whether that made the job easier … ultimately, it’s true I don’t always want the job to be easier, and I certainly think his input and efforts made for the best result.”

SS: If you were grading your role as BComd, what mark would you give yourself? Why?

CW: “I’ll give myself a ‘P’, but the real test will be how things fair for my successor. I think ‘Leaders of Leaders’ do what they do not for their own success, but to accomplish the mission and to improve the situation for their subordinates and successors.”

SS: With only two years on your docket as BComd, what projects do you wish you could see come to fruition if you had another year in the BComd’s chair?

CW: “I feel quite confident within the next year, CFB Shilo will see drones being used to assist in the management of our Ranges and Training Areas [RTA], to conduct safety inspections of hard-to-reach places, support environmental studies, and improve Army section tactics.

“I’m also happy to hear more WiFi will be installed in more buildings on Base in the coming months. I’m happy there will be the start of a long-term, ranges and training area clean-up effort to reduce the risk of accidents from legacy ordinance.

“I am extremely happy with the close relationship with partners from AFB Minot, but probably most of all, I’m happy to see the military community return to a schedule I suspect was in place before the COVID pandemic.”

SS: What was it like being CFB Shilo BComd, when you look back on your two years on Manitoba? Was it what you expected? Any surprises?

CW: “For the most part, the opportunity was what I expected. The Base soldiers and civilians were more resilient and had fewer individual challenges then I expected, and with the dedicated leadership teams within each of the units, I concluded I should try to use my influence to remove ‘roadblocks,’ to develop momentum and to keep initiatives moving forward.

“As for surprises, I was happy to see how responsive the local community was as we inquired about partnerships, whether that be with the academic institutions, other business, or sports organizations. I’ll also say while I knew policies manifested themselves differently at the coal-face, I encountered local situations I hadn’t previously appreciated, having not had historical context.

“The quote from the series Yellowstone comes to mind, in that ‘you can’t fix a broken wagon wheel, but you can use the parts to make a new one.’ And so, some of these local ‘wagon wheels’ were pretty interesting!”

SS: What did you learn about yourself being the BComd, this new chapter in your CAF career, after arriving here in the summer of ’21?

CW: “One of my strengths and weaknesses at the same time, is ‘being persistent.’ It can be dangerous if I let it lead me into an ambush, or if playing poker and I go ‘all-in …’ But for the most part, it has served me well — I feel good about the work that the team accomplished over the last two years.”

SS: What was it like living on the Base, calling the BComd’s house your home for two year?

CW: “Of all the houses we’ve lived it, this one has been the largest, and it felt even bigger with the kids being away at school for a big part of the year. But I certainly felt in-tune with the community.

“You can see the Base’s south gate from the main floor room; I can hear the teams play softball or soccer in the evenings; I could guess the morning report times for the major units due to the traffic in front of the house; and see who had acquired an electric scooter.

“I also felt the house connects the officers’ quarters to the RHUs, in a similar way to how the SNCO’s quarters connects the soldier’s quarters with the north-end of the RHUs.”

SS: When it came to shopping at CANEX, what was the item you bought the most? Why?

CW: “I’d be lying if I said it was milk or eggs. It was beer – Coors Lite. As to why, it was partly because I was silently protesting the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries’ unwillingness to recognize military IDs, and also because I found CANEX had such great prices.”

SS: What advice did you leave with incoming BComd LCol David Cronk during your handover?

CW: “My advice to him was not to wait too long before jumping into an issue. He will quickly be able to determine where he’ll need to and be able to help out.”

SS: Away from the job, what are some of the memories you made during your two-year stint in Manitoba?

CW: “The two years have flown by. I’m glad I got the opportunity to canoe down the Souris with my family and, this time, none of us ended up overturned. Lisa and I attended a couple of balls and two RMWFs as representatives our community.

“I was able see the Training Centre graduate enthusiastic young soldiers; about to see 38 ATG, 1RCHA and 2VP on exercise. And I was able see off a few soldiers from the Base on operations and then see them upon their return.

“I was somewhat disappointed with the segregation of previous Base Commander authorities that have been implemented over the years. While I do feel leading the collaboration of the various community stakeholders has been a highlight of the job, I think more efficiencies were previously available.”

SS: What was your favourite Shilo Stag feature story as you perused the newspaper up until it ceased publication after the Aug. 11, 2022 edition?

CW: “I liked the ‘Letter Home from France’ as well as the searches for Willy.”

SS: What was your favourite photo taken by the Shilo Stag editor during your time on the Base?

CW: “There are a couple that come to mind. I liked the picture of Maj Youngson in front of the troops during the warm-up for the September 2021 Terry Fox run; the photo of PSP fitness co-ordinator Melissa Green encouraging a DBMQ candidate during their Force Test, and most recently, the silhouette photo of CWO Abrahamse.”

SS: What will you miss most about your time as CFB Shilo BComd?

CW: “I’ll certainly miss working with so many talented soldiers, civilians, and community volunteers. Leadership is a privilege and demands no less than the best you can give. I’ve been proud to have the opportunity to showcase our soldiers, and to represent the Base in the community, 3rd Canadian Division and at the national level.”

SS: How has the family, wife Lisa and kids, adjusted to you being CFB Shilo BComd?

CW: “There have been positives and negatives. Generally, everyone has been very supportive, and even more so the closer I get to the end of my time in the position.”

SS: What was it like working with Stag editor Jules Xavier, and having him focused on you for 24 months?

CW: “Jules is such a great advocate for our community. I know his retirement is closer than the horizon, and the next editor of the Stag will have big shoes to fill. Jules challenged me to keep up with Base and community events, as he always seemed to know where and when to be.

“I thought there were always interesting things going on at the Base — courses, deployments, training, community events, and somehow the Stag got coverage of almost all of it. In fact, I was able to reduce the frequency and length of my reports to my boss in [Garrison] Edmonton because my Commander already knew what was going on … he was following the Stag!”

SS: Finally, what’s next on your CAF career as you drive east and return to Ontario? Beekeeping on the “to do” list?

CW: “The CAF is a great place to work. You don’t have to worry about the organization finding a job for you to do, and you’re never quite sure what that job is until you’re in it.

“For me, by the middle of July, I will have reported for work as a staff officer at the Strategic Joint Staff. I believe I’ll be able to add value to this organization, which is the CDS’ designated staff.

“I’m enthusiastic about the opportunities and challenges it will present. Hopefully, I’ll also have some time to improve on my French. In regard to beekeeping, ‘Fairview Farm’ … the name of Wood family farm is in a [re]building year, so I don’t expect too much honey this summer.”