The Red Bulls

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Lt. Col. Gary Miller, currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as deputy officer-in-charge of aviation operations for 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, has dedicated his life to making people around him better.

“I have been a teacher my whole life,” the Rapids City, S.D. resident said. “My goal is to make people feel better about themselves through my teaching.”

Miller, the oldest of seven children, lived with his family on a farm in Howard, S.D. growing up. It was there that he learned the value of hard work, endurance and encouragement of others.

“We raised cows, pigs and a few chickens on our farm,” Miller said. “It was hard work at times. We were never rich, but we were comfortable.”

Miller attended Howard High School in Howard, S.D, where he played basketball and ran cross-country in track and field. He acknowledges that basketball wasn’t something he really excelled at, but he loved long-distance running.

“I wasn’t a very gifted athlete in high school,” said Miller. “I wasn’t really big enough to play basketball or football successfully, but running was kind of my niche. I don’t know if I was very good at running, either, but I was the best at my school.”

Miller is now a cross-country running coach at Southwest Middle School in Rapids City, where his goal is to make his students better people through the lessons they learn from athletics.

“I tell them it is not nearly as important to compete with other people when they’re running as it is to constantly improve,” Miller said. “It’s not about how fast you are compared to the other guy, it’s about how fast you are compared to you yesterday.”

Miller hasn’t given up his own running regime, either. He ran in the Stillwater Shadow Marathon at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, held May 24, where he finished fifth overall.

The 37-year National Guard veteran has also dedicated his career in the military to teaching others, serving as an Officer Candidate School instructor since 1985.

Miller said he particularly enjoys teaching map-reading and land navigation skills.
Miller’s parents, Duane and Shirley, still live in Howard. Miller has a daughter, Wendy Eich, who lives in Epiphany, S.D. and a son, Ryan, who lives in Howard. He also has 5 grandsons.

His philosophy on life is simple: “If you can get people to feel better about themselves, haven’t you made the world a better place?”