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Military adviser brings lessons to a real-world classroom

WHITEWATER — Graduate student Brad Miller has found important ways to use his safety education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater while deployed in Iraq with the Army Reserve.

A major on his second tour in Iraq, Miller is stationed at Al Kasik in northern Iraq, headquarters for the 3rd Iraqi Army Division. He's the executive officer in charge of an eight-person logistics team that assists with food, supplies, medical services, vehicles and other needs of about 8,000 Iraqi troops.

Miller, 38, is working on a master's degree in UW-Whitewater's Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health.

"A lot of the coursework is directly applicable'' to his duties in Iraq, he said.

He recently taught a class on blood borne pathogens to a group of Iraqis that included doctors, pharmacists, ambulance drivers, emergency room workers, food preparers and others.

It required rigorous preparation. Miller worked with translators who helped him communicate in Arabic and Kurdish. He provided his own battery for slides because electricity often fails. He reviewed facts on such pathogens as Hepatitis B and HIV and prepared himself to address questions and rumors.

He discussed cleanliness standards and practices and explained the reasons behind them.

"I'm an adviser. I don't tell them what to do and what not to do," Miller said. "I help them make informed decisions."

The class, which was successful and sparked good discussions, was similar to student presentations required in his epidemiology class at UW-Whitewater, he said.

Increasing environmental awareness and stronger regulatory standards are creating growing interest and job opportunities in safety professions, said Alvaro Taveira, professor and chair of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health at UW-Whitewater.

In his civilian life, Miller is safety and loss control manager and fleet manager for Cleary Building Corp. in Verona, a construction company with about 1,200 employees and 400 vehicles.

UW-Whitewater courses on motor fleet safety and behavioral aspects of accident prevention have been directly applicable to his job, Miller said.

"As a safety professional, you're a behaviorist," he said.

Miller, who lives in Evansville with his wife and children, ages 2 and 8, expects to return from Iraq in October. While on active duty, he's working on a research paper on the ergonomic impact of heavy gear worn by soldiers.