This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39293869
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Wife hands military command to husband | Wife hands military command to husband |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A Scottish couple made an unusual bit of British military history when the wife handed over command of an Army unit to her husband. | A Scottish couple made an unusual bit of British military history when the wife handed over command of an Army unit to her husband. |
| Lt Col Gill Wilkinson was commanding officer of 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, based in Dunfermline. | Lt Col Gill Wilkinson was commanding officer of 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, based in Dunfermline. |
| She handed over to her husband, Lt Col Alan Wilkinson, last month. | She handed over to her husband, Lt Col Alan Wilkinson, last month. |
| The exchange makes the pair the highest ranking couple to follow each other in a command role. | The exchange makes the pair the highest ranking couple to follow each other in a command role. |
| Gill, 45, originally from Northern Ireland, was in the Army from the mid-90s but left when her two children were born. | Gill, 45, originally from Northern Ireland, was in the Army from the mid-90s but left when her two children were born. |
| She re-enlisted in the Army reserve in 2003 and took command of the regiment in 2014. | She re-enlisted in the Army reserve in 2003 and took command of the regiment in 2014. |
| Husband Alan, 46, who was also in the Army before joining the Army Reserve, took on the role of main carer for their children when Gill became CO (commanding officer). | Husband Alan, 46, who was also in the Army before joining the Army Reserve, took on the role of main carer for their children when Gill became CO (commanding officer). |
| Gill and Alan have been married since 1998 and have two teenage children. | Gill and Alan have been married since 1998 and have two teenage children. |
| Gill told BBC Scotland: "It almost feels like I handed over the children to him two-and-a-half years ago before taking command and this feels very similar. | Gill told BBC Scotland: "It almost feels like I handed over the children to him two-and-a-half years ago before taking command and this feels very similar. |
| "You do feel a responsibility for a regiment. It is quite a parental role. Your soldiers are like your family. | "You do feel a responsibility for a regiment. It is quite a parental role. Your soldiers are like your family. |
| "Normally when a commanding officer leaves command they don't look back at the regiment, they leave the next CO to carry on. | "Normally when a commanding officer leaves command they don't look back at the regiment, they leave the next CO to carry on. |
| "Obviously I'm trying to do that but I can keep an eye out and ask how people are getting on and satisfy that parental bit." | "Obviously I'm trying to do that but I can keep an eye out and ask how people are getting on and satisfy that parental bit." |
| Alan, originally from the Borders, met Gill at Dundee University before joining the Army. | Alan, originally from the Borders, met Gill at Dundee University before joining the Army. |
| He joined the reserves in 2009. | He joined the reserves in 2009. |
| Alan said taking over from his wife was no different to any new job. | Alan said taking over from his wife was no different to any new job. |
| He said: "We have worked closely together throughout our career in the Army. I was in the fortunate position of being able to speak to Gill in the months before about it so it only took about four days to handover. It was fine." | He said: "We have worked closely together throughout our career in the Army. I was in the fortunate position of being able to speak to Gill in the months before about it so it only took about four days to handover. It was fine." |
| Gill, who will now work with the Army Reserve part-time, said opportunities for women were "getting wider". | Gill, who will now work with the Army Reserve part-time, said opportunities for women were "getting wider". |
| She said: "When I joined the Royal Logistic Corps it was because it offered, as far as I was concerned, the greatest opportunity to do the same job as men were doing. | She said: "When I joined the Royal Logistic Corps it was because it offered, as far as I was concerned, the greatest opportunity to do the same job as men were doing. |
| "It is still majority male but the regiment I was commanding was about a quarter to a third female." | "It is still majority male but the regiment I was commanding was about a quarter to a third female." |
| "I think ever since I joined the Army it has been increasing with more and more opportunities opening up. | "I think ever since I joined the Army it has been increasing with more and more opportunities opening up. |
| "But we are really at the final bastion now where women are moving into combat roles." | "But we are really at the final bastion now where women are moving into combat roles." |
| Alan says his wife has offered him advice on his new role. | Alan says his wife has offered him advice on his new role. |
| He says: "Some is good, some I listen to but I do make my own assessment." | He says: "Some is good, some I listen to but I do make my own assessment." |