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

Mad Dog Mattis was my regimental Commander. I got to interact with him on a close, but not personal level three times.

Well I'd have to say it is you COL Mikel J. Burroughs. Oh wait, I never worked for you but if I did I'm sure you'd take the title.

Mine was Major Jackson, CC of "A" Co. 229th AHB, Vietnam. He was the best I've ever had, I got to gun for him several times. He was a great sport too. I captured a chicken from a village and brought her back to our AO. I named her Henrietta. She liked to sip beer every night with us when we had time to sit around and tell stories. He liked for Henrietta to sit on his shoulder and drink beer with him. We would laugh our heads off while he was telling stories. Not because his stories were funny, but because Henrietta was pooping down his back. This would go on until she got drunk and fell off his shoulder.

Captain William Sevcik, CO, BCT Company, Fort Gordon, GA, 1966. Helluva fine officer, one whom I would follow to the Gates of Hell. Led by example.

Wayne Downing was the best leader I have ever served under COL Mikel J. Burroughs.
He served as Commander of 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division when I knew him. Afterwards he formed the 75th Ranger Regiment in 1985 and commanded SOCOM before he retired.
He led by example in all things. Once after I had successfully finished an offensive operation at Hohenfels Major Training Area s after the company commander had been 'killed" in the exercise, COL Downing let me fly in his seat in his helicopter. After bouncing around in an M113 APC and periodic ground operations, it was wonderful to soar through the valleys of Hohenfels.
Dave Rodriguez was the company commander of a company in my battalion. He is one of the finest officers I have ever known. Wayne Downing handpicked him to take to the 75th ranger Regiment. Dave just stepped down from commanding AFRICOM in the past month.

Enlisted: Chief Master Sergeant Roy Stovall. Chief Stovall started in the Army Air Corp in 1947 but moved to the Air Force when it became a new service branch. He was a P-61 Black Widow radar operator before moving to the ICBM testing/development career field where he was part of the old Atlas D crews. He was also one of the first E-9s in the Air Force when the ranks expanded to E-8/9. He was also the only enlisted man I ever heard a senior officer call “sir.” When Chief Stovall said something you knew it was gospel.

Officer: Colonel Edward D. Payne. Colonel Payne was the RSO in the first SR-71 flight over North Vietnam. He’d transitioned from the B-47 pilots seat into the SR-71 in the mid 60s. He got into the missile business rather late in his career but picked it up like nobody’s business. He actually enjoyed going onto a site to observe and lend a hand if he thought he could help. The Association of Air Force Missileers created “The Colonel Edward Payne Award for Maintenance” - originally awarded annually by Air Force Space Command to the missile maintenance squadron that does the most to improve the quality of life for maintenance technicians. The colonel was also the best pitcher we had on our beer-ball league at Vandenberg.

Sadly, both gentlemen have passed away. They both had a positive impact on my career as well as my life.

TSgt Eddie T. Glover. Best damn TI ever.
Chief Jeffrey P. Huber. Best no-sh*t chief ever. hard core guy. His name strikes fear in the hearts of those who know him and know they have done wrong towards his airmen.
still waiting for my best commander...

LTC (ret) Ned Ferraro.

I first met him when I was a private and he was a 1LT in command of HHC 306th PSYOP BN. I served under him again as a SPC, PFC and SPC again (he demoted and promoted me) when CPT Ferraro was the commander of the 353rd PSYOP CO (R&A).

I served under him a third time as a 2LT (he pinned my direct-commission butter bar) when MAJ Ferraro was the S3 at 7th PSYOP Group. He retired a few years later as an LTC, and was one of the most important mentors and role models of my military career.

I really need to look him and buy him a beer sometime.

I would give an extremely honorable mention to SFC Scott French, who served under me at the 729th Transportation Company. I was the company commander, but knew nothing about trucks or transportation. As the Truck Master for the company, SFC French was a trusted advisor who helped me address issues in the unit, raise morale and improve our mission readiness. Following his advise, I got licensed on the M915 (as commander I was supposed to ride in a Humvee with a driver) and drove every leg of every convoy I was present for. I think that by the end of my two year assignment I'd become a very capable transportation officer despite not having the MOS, and I owe most of it to the patience, knowledge and mentorship of SFC French.

Also as commander of the 729th TC, SGT Melissa Aranda (now Neal, congratulations SGT) was another mentor. While she was almost 20 years younger than me, I recognized in SGT Aranda a very strong and capable leader who took care of her soldiers and was both wise and competent far beyond her grade. She was an outstanding squad leader, later a platoon SGT (despite not being the highest ranking NCO in the platoon) and along with SFC French always gave valuable counsel.

I like to think that I have my own leadership style, but the vast majority of it is an amalgamation of what I learned from LTC Ferraro, SFC French, SGT Aranda and many other officers and NCOs I've had the pleasure (and sometimes misfortune) to serve with over the years.

Finally, there were a few very poor (in my opinion) officers and NCOs who also must be considered great mentors in teaching me what not to do, and how not to be. I won't name any, but there is a Lieutenant Colonel whom on two occasions I had the wisdom and confidence to push back on when he gave unnecessarily dangerous orders without a valid justification to do so. Not only did higher back me up, but I even had the great pleasure to chew him out (not in front of the troops).

Now LTG David Quantock...

My best leaders, mentors, supervisors were MSgt Dennis Holden (HVAC) and SMSgt Alexander Thomson(Electrician).