Christine Gilchrist is a military spouse, co-owner and founder of Spouse Force, a social enterprise established to create sustainable employment for Defence spouses.
Before becoming a Defence spouse, Christine built a career in the Australian Public Service, including serving in the Senior Executive Service. Experiencing military life gave her a unique perspective on the contrast between a stable professional career and the employment disruption faced by many Defence spouses. She observed that highly skilled Defence spouses could face barriers to employment due to military life and so, she designed a different business model.
Founded in April 2023, Spouse Force delivers recruitment, procurement evaluation and administrative support services, primarily to government clients, by supporting Defence spouses to operate independent businesses delivering high-quality services to government clients. Since its establishment, it has generated more than 8,800 hours of paid work across Australia for Defence partners.
The organisation generates 100% of its income through commercial trading and reinvesting profits. Under Christine's leadership, Spouse Force has expanded into new service offerings, secured appointments to Australian Government procurement panels and received national recognition.
Her leadership experience, combined with the resilience, adaptability and problem-solving developed through supporting a serving member, has shaped the way she leads Spouse Force. Service, integrity, teamwork and accountability underpin its culture, client relationships and commitment to quality.
Her experience as a Defence spouse did not simply inspire the business—it shaped an innovative business model that demonstrates Defence spouses are a highly capable workforce whose potential may be overlooked.