[2][3] After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946, he received his Master of Arts and Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Chicago in 1948 and 1960, respectively.
[3] Henry worked as a staff assistant at the Public Administration Clearing House in Chicago and Washington, DC, from 1950 to 1955.
[4] In 1960, Henry became involved in the Brookings Institution's work assessing United States presidential transitions.
[3] This study saw its discussions attended by liaisons from the Dwight D. Eisenhower White House and the campaigns of 1960 major party presidential nominees John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
[2][4] From 1978 through 1986, he was the dean of the School of Community of Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
He also, in this job, worked as a consultant for numerous federal agencies, such as the Bureau of the Budget, General Accounting Office, and NASA.
[4] Henry has been affiliated with the Network of Schools of Public Policy Affairs and Administration, at one time serving as its president.
[5] He was also a contributor and board member of the Inter-University Case Program, producing materials for educating on the subject public administration that have been described as "pioneering".