1958 -
Born into a military family in Exeter, Ontario, Henwood showed an early interest in military service, dedicating five years to Army Cadets and three years to the Army Reserves before entering RMC in 1976. While at RMC, Henwood was an active member of the fencing and rifle teams and played the bagpipes in the RMC Pipes and Drums. He graduated in 1980 with a B.A. (Honours) in History and was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, posted initially to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) in Calgary as a troop leader. Over the next fifteen years Henwood served in a variety of postings in Canada and Germany.
In the spring of 1995 Henwood was assigned as a United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) in the former Yugoslavia. On September 27, 1995, Henwood was leading a three-man patrol in a remote area, warning Serbians in isolated hamlets to seek refuge. The UNMO Team was travelling in an unarmoured Land Cruiser and struck an anti-tank mine that detonated directly under the passenger seat where Henwood was sitting.
Henwood’s colleagues applied emergency first aid and managed to get him to a field hospital where doctors amputated his legs below the knees. When stabilized, he was airlifted to an American military hospital in Germany, and eventually repatriated to Canada. Over the next several months, Henwood underwent multiple surgeries and an extensive program of rehabilitation to restore his mobility.
Henwood's enduring injuries meant he could no longer meet military Universality of Service requirements and he was medically released from the Canadian Forces in April 1998. At this time, he was entitled to a partial pension but no policy existed to compensate for his physical injuries or the Post-Traumatic Stress that he and his family suffered from.
Believing this to be unfair, Henwood initiated a Redress of Grievance that was eventually referred to the Canadian Forces Grievance Review Board. As the case was being reviewed it came to light that Colonels and General Officers had The General Officers Insurance Plan (GOIP) that covered accidental dismemberment compensation for various types of life-altering injuries.
Henwood commenced his advocacy journey to seek compensation for all injured service members. On November 21, 2002, the National Post published a lengthy article about Henwood and his efforts. On February 3, 2003, Henwood appeared before the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs of the Standing Senate Committee on National Defence and Security. During his testimony before the Subcommittee, Henwood exemplified integrity and valour in rising above his personal misfortune to advocate for all. Fixing the Canadian Forces Method of Dealing with Death or Dismemberment, issued by the Subcommittee in April 2003, presented six key recommendations. Henwood’s advocacy and the recommendations tabled in the report directly led to the passing of Bill C 44, An Act to Compensate Military Members Injured During Service, in June of that year.
Henwood’s relentless efforts did not end there. In 2005, he was appointed to the Veterans Affairs Canada Advisory Group on Special Needs and in 2016 was named Chair of the Veterans Affairs Canada Advisory Group on Care and Support. Since 2010 he has been a consultant to War Amps Canada, informing them on the status of seriously disabled veterans and serving members of the Forces. He has been a member of the National Council of Veterans’ Associations in Canada since 2017.
In recognition of his efforts to enable passage of Bill C 44 and his advocacy for the rights of serving military personnel and veterans, Henwood was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal, Civilian Division in 2004. Further, in 2011 Henwood was awarded the Minister of Veteran’s Affairs Commendation for significant, sustained, and voluntary contributions to Canada’s veteran community.
Senior military and political leaders including a retired Senator, a former Minister of National Defence, and retired Chiefs of Defence Staff joined to support and praise Henwood’s battle for serving member and veteran care. Bruce Henwood is an example of duty, determination and devotion. His lifelong commitment to duty and indomitable strength of character led to the passing of landmark legislation with wide reaching consequences.
Plaque inscription:
Leader, Advocate, Example