After joining the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1980, Carl Bennett enjoyed a long and fulfilling career with the service.
However, it was the experience of his wife, Carol, as a military spouse that led him to the University of Aberdeen.
The 63-year-old explains: “I served in the RAF for 23 years and my wife put her career as a midwife on hold, putting the needs of the service and me above her own. While discussing this with work colleagues and realising there were many people, predominantly women, in this situation I started researching the topic.
“After finding few published articles on the experiences of spouses and partners of the UK military, and almost none on the RAF, I made enquiries about pursuing a doctoral thesis.”
Carl, from Elgin, opted to stay close to home after finding the perfect opportunity to complete his research at the University of Aberdeen, through the MRes Social Sciences programme.
His research examined how the spouses and partners of RAF personnel serving in the north of Scotland balanced the competing demands on them from the military, their partners, their families and their employers. Carl found changes to employers’ attitudes on home-working helped some maintain their careers. Others were living apart while they pursued their careers, waiting for their partners to leave the military.
Carl continues: “Once a week during term time I caught the train from Elgin to Aberdeen and then cycled from the station for lectures and tutorials.
“Going back to University at the end of my working life was a great way to recharge my brain especially having to justify arguments with evidence and logic. The research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, would have been perfect for some of the jobs I have undertaken over the years, and should stand me in good stead if I decide to pursue a PhD.
“I really enjoyed mixing with students of all ages and from many different backgrounds, countries and cultures. If only the world was able to follow their example, learning from one another and co-operating for mutual benefit.”
Having completed an MBA in his 40s, Carl is no stranger to returning to his studies. And while this and his time in the RAF equipped him with valuable transferable skills for his research, Carl was ready to challenge himself and throw himself into a brand new field.
“Completing an MBA in my 40s allowed me to share my graduation with my wife and children, which I was very proud to be able to do. This time though feels different. I will be graduating in a field I had little previous experience in, but which I was keen to pursue.
“I had many years of management and business experience I was able to draw upon for my MBA, whereas for this course I was learning as I went along, and somehow that makes my achievement feel more special. I shall be grinning like a cheshire cat as I walk across the stage and I suspect my heart will be pounding.
“After that, I would like to undertake a PhD and pursue my research further so that I could possibly influence policy on the treatment of military spouses and partners.”
Though he’ll miss his time at the University of Aberdeen, he will always have his memories to look back on fondly.
Carl concludes: “I think my favourite memory of the University was working in the library one afternoon just looking around at the next generation about to start their lives and seeing the effort they were putting in and the relationships they were developing. At that moment the future of the world didn't seem quite as bleak.”