News Article
All in the Family for Kings County Commissionaires
The Kings County Advertiser
9 February 2011
Commissionaires from left, in the back, are Dan Rollings, Taarna Rollings
and Sean Rollings. In front, from left, are Sue Skipton and Sandy Skipton.
When Commissionaire Sandy Skipton of Aylesford talks about “keeping it all the family,” she has good reason.
Sandy, her daughter, Sue, granddaughter Taarna, her grandson-in-law Sean and his dad, Dan, all serve as commissionaires at 14 Wing Greenwood.
Sandy says her interest in the commissionaires came from being raised in a military family and then marrying “a handsome” Air Force chap.
Commissionaires Nova Scotia (CNS) has some 1,700 members throughout Nova Scotia. The majority of these individuals are former Canadian Forces and RCMP personnel.
“Over the past 60 years, my entire family has dedicated their lives to serving Canada through the Canadian Forces,” she says. “I did some rough calculations and it looks like we have served more than 200 years in the military - and it is continuing through our grandchildren.”
Sandy joined the Commissionaires almost a year ago. Her husband, Mike, had passed away five years before and, after helping her family deal with losing their father and getting things in order, “it was time to try something else. The commissionaires seemed a natural fit.”
Her daughter, Sue, who retired from the CF after a full career, became a commissionaire in August. Granddaughter Taarna joined five years ago, along with husband Sean. Dan Rollings, Sean’s dad, became a commissionaire in 1996.
Sandy was a captain in the Air Force Reserves for a number of years while she and husband Mike were raising four children. In the ‘70s, she spent some time as a motorcycle handling instructor and, throughout their marriage, she also found the occasional time to work nights in the local hospital as a nurses’ aide.
Among Sandy’s duties on the base now are escorting contractors, guarding equipment and “whatever I am called upon to do.” She especially likes meeting different people through her responsibilities. Many are working with the Canadian Forces and “are really wonderful to deal with.”
As for the future, Sandy plans on being a commissionaire for as long as she can. It helps occupy her time but, more important, keeps alive all the memories of her family and their association with the Canadian Forces.
Col Mike Brownlow, chief executive officer for CNS, says, “what Sandy and her extended family bring to CNS is an enthusiasm about being part of an organization delivering quality security service to clients.
“Their family pride about being commissionaires is obvious, and they understand their responsibility of making their workplace and community safe for all.”
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