Rod Millner has had a very diverse career. Highly skilled in multiple disciplines he has applied his trade in many corners of the world. At 18 he was a skinny scrawny kid when one night changed his life forever. He was threatened by a much bigger guy and realised he had no way to defend himself. It was diffused but that night he said to himself, ‘I will never feel like that again’. Within 2 years he’d become an Australian Commando ‘Green Beret’ and Runner-up in Australia’s Kung Fu Titles. Being surrounded by men of such high standards and beliefs rubbed off on him.
With a background in the Military, he also has qualifications in Applied Science, Health and Safety, Education, and Construction. Rod has had such an array of experiences including setting World Records as a Wingsuit Test Pilot at skydiving events, instructing fitness sessions to prisoners at some of Sydney’s toughest jails, directing and producing an Award-Winning feature film, commanding troops in Africa and taught and filmed Stunt Men doing extreme abseiling. Rod’s diversity in knowledge and experience from places where even angels may fear to tread is his strength. Rod has or had instructor qualifications in Kung Fu, Wingsuit Skydiving, Extreme Abseiling, Exercise Specialist, Military, Adult Education, Field Construction, Scuba Diving/Snorkelling and Outdoor Recreation. Lessons learnt in one arena can transfer over to the other disciplines and often in amusing ways.
Probably Rod’s most extreme experience was not an audacious adventure but assisting, and then supervising New York Firemen in Ground Zero on Sept 11, 2001. Rod heard the call for volunteers with construction experience on the radio whilst skydiving in upstate NY Rod knew this was going to be intense, but felt compelled to help with his valuable skillset. The first night there, Rod found the ‘Search and Rescue’ lighting was severely lacking (why would firefighters need to know lighting). He quickly discovered an ‘abandoned’ (meaning, he stole it) generator and set it up with 500w metal lamps with long cables. Five firemen put their flashlights away in that one search area alone and could see everywhere, enabling them to use two hands for searching. This increased the speed of the rescue effort and made it far safer for the searchers. Within days he was given platoons of firefighters to work for him. He stayed every day and night, struggling with lack of sleep but was determined to help in this hour of need. Rod kept going until a steel shard, hiding in the shadows, pierced through his right knee 7 nights later.
‘Here is a truly noble man’, Lieutenant Joseph Di Martino NYFD, 2001
Rod presents skills in the key areas of achievement for managing the mission, managing ourselves and crew, and finding innovative solutions. Having a wicked sense of humour, Rod’s speaking style is one of fun and enjoyment coaxing people to look at life, problems and activities beyond their comfort zone.
Rod is always finding new ways to help people and something he initially developed over 35 years ago is now becoming a reality. He created the UltraFLX method, a group of flexibility exercises that defy the existing stretching paradigm.
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