Bracing for change
THE thought of transitioning out of the army after a 36- year career scares Nikki Rothwell, which is why she’s started preparing herself more than three years in advance.
Warrant Officer Rothwell was born in England in 1967 but moved to Australia with her family in 1968.
As an 18- year- old Woolworths check- out chick she decided she wanted to do something different.
“Just growing up as a bit of a tomboy, I liked the idea of running around playing with guns,” she said.
WO1 Rothwell went into transport as she liked to travel and she went from a truck driver to a driver supervisor. She’s been in Townsville for the past two- and- a- half years, though this is her third posting in the North Queensland city.
“I’ve had 17 postings and two deployments in 33 years,” she said. WO1 Rothwell is married and has a six- yearold son who attends Townsville Grammar.
“I want him to go through school there,” she said.
She is currently the co- ordinator for Geckos Family Centre at Lavarack Barracks, which is the only army- run and funded family centre in Australia.
“It’s not a day care but it’s a family centre which has PT programs for spouses, play groups, sewing groups … we cater for all current serving Defence families,” WO1 Rothwell said.
“It’s really rewarding work as a lot of the spouses are overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan and a lot of people come here because they’re home alone and it’s a networking place for them.”
WO1 Rothwell’s other major role is as the national president of the Women’s Veterans Network Australia, which was started in Townsville about three years ago.
Since it began 26 areas around the country have set up networks with former and current serving veterans.
“The role is about assisting female veterans and putting them on to support,” WO1 Rothwell said.
“One of the big issues for women veterans is isolation and not knowing what to do and where to go. The best medicine for them is to network with each other.”
This Anzac Day, the network organised a By The Left initiative which encouraged female veterans to lead marches to highlight the fact many of them have served.
WO1 Rothwell said she wanted to transition out of the army in Townsville and would likely serve another three years before she does so.
“It’s fairly confronting but that’s why I’m a part of these networks because I know I’ll be in the same boat soon.”