Dr Michael Douglas Miller AO
(1935 – 2016)

Michael Douglas Miller was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 30 September 1935. He attended the Church of England Grammar School and studied medicine at the University of Queensland where he graduated in 1959. In 1960 he married Jenifer Yates, with whom he had five children.

Michael undertook specialist training in obstetrics and gynaecology, obtaining his Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (MRCOG) in London in 1964. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1968 and, after initial training, was posted to the RAAF Base, Amberley for medical duties, prior to being posted to the RAAF Hospital, Richmond in 1969 for surgical duties.

In 1970, Michael served a year of duty with the RAAF in South Vietnam as Senior Medical Officer, where he undertook surgical duties as well as being responsible for the aeromedical evacuation of wounded Australian Service personnel. Following this tour, he was posted as a Staff Officer to the Directorate General of Air Force Health Services, before being posted to the RAAF Hospital, Butterworth Malaysia in 1971. During his four-year tour of duty in Malaysia, he served as obstetrician and gynaecologist before being appointed Commanding Officer of the hospital.

Following further positions at the Directorate General, Michael was posted to the United States in 1977, where he was appointed as RAAF Exchange Medical Officer with Tactical Air Command. Upon his return to Australia in 1979, he was appointed Senior Medical Officer at Amberley and subsequently Principal Medical Officer, Headquarters Support Command. Michael returned to the Directorate General in 1982 and, over the next eight-years, was appointed in a range of positions, including Director General of Air Force Health Services.

Michael obtained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in 1980 and Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RACOG) in 1991. Michael was highly regarded by all members of the Health Services as an exceptional leader. On Australia Day 1989, he was awarded the Order of Australia (AO) in the Military Division for service to the RAAF as Director General of Air Force Health Services.

Towards the end of his military and medical career and following his subsequent retirement, Michael was Surgeon General with the Australian Defence Force (Ret.), and was actively involved with a number of other bodies, including St John Ambulance Australia, the National Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Health RSL and the Administration Appeals Tribunal (Federal).

Michael died on 13 May 2016 and is survived by his wife of 56 years, children and 14 grandchildren.