When serving our country on active (or reserve) who did you respect and admire the most and why?

Graig Abing. He was my 1SG in B Co, 121st Sig Bn in the mid 80's. He was a Marine Vietnam veteran and former high school English teacher. That man honestly cared about his troops and it showed when he gave you an ass chewing, praised you, and when he made sure to be there when his soldiers returned from NTC and other exercises. I would have gladly followed him to war.

I greatly respect and admire Gen Walt Kross, USAF Ret. Gen Kross was the Director, Operations and Logistics (J3/J4), US Transportation Command, during Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM. I was a staff officer at USTRANSCOM and part of the Crisis Action Team (CAT). I worked with Gen Kross (then a Maj Gen) every day for months. He was an outstanding leader. His communication was always straight forward. Common sense solutions were his forte. He expertly handled diverse demands from US Central Command, Army Forces Command, and the three Transportation Component Commands (Military Airlift Command, Military Sealift Command, and Military Traffic Management Command). Gen Kross also had a great sense of humor. During a morning briefing he told me that a Colonel from FORSCOM had called and wanted more airlift right away. I took a note. Later in the day, he came into the CAT and I asked him if he had any specifics about the call from FORSCOM. He smiled and answered, "Jim, I'm a General not a specific." Years later he was Commander in Chief, USTRANSCOM and I had retired. At a social event, I greeted him and he called me by name, same for my wife, and sincerely asked how retired life was going. That's a skill few people have.

Gen Kross was an OTS graduate, 1964, and completed pilot training at Lerado, TX. He then flew F-4s including 100 combat missions over North Vietnam. He transitioned to transports flying the C-141. He commanded at Squadron, Wing, Numbered Air Force, Major Command (Air Mobility Command) and USTRANSCOM. He also held significant jobs in the Pentagon, including Air Force Director of Operations and later Director of the Joint Staff. Among his many awards are the Distinguished Flying Cross w/2 OLC, and the Air Medal w/12 OLC.

Pilot, warrior, leader, and a darn nice guy.

I"m going to go the opposite direction.

There was a young E1 I was in basic with. We are Facebooks friends and nothing more. However, it allows me to see his progression when he update's his status. He also didn't have one lick of college.

In his first enlistment contract he got to E6.

Then he became a WO, and is probably CW2 by now. He also just recently finished his degree. He's still in his 20's and certainly probably going to make CW5.

Fitness wise, he's everything the Army wants in a soldier. Marathon runner, etc...

Every time I try to convey to young soldiers the military is the great equalizer and when you come in there is only administrative processes in front of your success and it's just up to you to jump over them I refer to "a guy I know" and it's that guy.

He's not a mentor for me, but he's certainly going to surpass me at my age.