Drop a name - who is the best Leader/Manager/Comander you ever worked for?

CPO (HOSSFLY) Elliott, LST-1198. He was a great leader, and friend!!!

Once I pulled my head out of my fourth point of contact and started to actually WANT to be in the service, I was fortunate to have SFC Percy Clayton as a Platoon Sergeant. He was quiet, knew how to read the book and then get the job done, and how to treat his people. I credit him with probably 80% of what I now use to be an effective leader.

And, if anyone may know him, he was from Biloxi, MS, and served in the 4th ID in Vietnam. After retirement, he went back to Biloxi, where he passed away about a decade ago.

Good question hands down had to be Machinist Mate Master Chief Petty Officer Wallace my 1st A gang Master Chief I learned on a daily basis from this man. and still have the utmost respect and admiration for him.

MSG (Join to see) was the best!

RADM (ret) James Symonds, CO USS Ronald Reagan, 2003-2005. He was handed a terrible situation by the previous CO (the fights they had during the turnover process became legendary aboard ship), and completely turned the ship around.

CAPT (ret) Andres Brugal, XO USS Ronald Reagan, 2003-2005. XO under Capt. Symonds.

CAPT (ret) Ken Harvey, Reactor Officer USS Ronald Reagan. My department head during that same time. One of the best darn nukes I ever served with, and a hell of a mentor.

CMDCM (ret) Buck Heffernan, CMC USS Ronald Reagan. One of the last "old salts" I served with in the fleet, and the best CMC I ever saw. He left Reagan to be Force Master Chief for SURFLANT.

CMDCM (ret) Kathy Kansen, CMC USS Ronald Reagan. Another "old salt" who truly knew and understood the crew. She was on the shortlist for MCPON at her second to last assignment. It's a pity she was passed over for that.

EMC(SW/AW) Ken Guglielmo. Best chief I ever worked for. Refused to play the dumber reindeer games that the Chief's Mess often called for, and really, really kept all of us out of a lot of trouble.

The best boss I ever worked for was Don Mann, USN(Ret). I worked for him as the Medical Coordinator/SAR Director for Primal Quest, LLC and Odessey Adventure Racing, prior to that. He was not a micro manager. Everyone was treated as a professional in their field and much was expected. He attracted the best people and brought the A game out in everyone. I am very proud to call him my friend.

MG Paul C. Hurley JR was my battalion commander during my first tour to Iraq (2003-04). He was an amazing commander. He promised not to leave any of us on the side of the road when we pushed to Baghdad. He would also go talk to the lower enlisted and ask what the issues were. Within a week, those concerns were addressed.

Officer - CPT Greg Capral Military Police
Enlisted - 1SG David Stalter later Regimental MP CSM

Mine was Capt. Zane P. Neison, great company commander that started out as an enlisted man.

COL Mikel J. Burroughs
Easy. CAPT Ted "Twig" Branch, CO of USS Nimitz! Now VADM Branch and head of Naval Intelligence and Deputy CNO for Information Dominance. But his name got dropped during the "Fat Albert scandal" so his clearance got revoked. He has yet to be charged, nor has he been cleared.

He was my CO when all that BULLSHIT went down and I will swear an oath to God himself that he had nothing to do with it! He is one of the few men who I can truthfully say that if he called me right now and said "Petty Officer Miller, I need you to come out of retirement and come work for me" I would have my sea bag packed and be on the first available flight.