Is there someone in the military, past or present, who you could thank for shaping your military career?

Absolutely. My greatest mentor in the USAF - Lt Col Tom Freeman. He would always stop on a dime for any one of his troops seeking advice. The white board planning sessions we had after duty hours were awesome. I think he even had a roadmap to get me into the Shuttle's flight deck :) Can't thank him enough for his time and dedication to his LTS Rough Riders.

Hundreds of them, dare I say thousands..
I strived not to be like the bad ones, rise above the mediocre ones, and emulate the good ones.
Yes there were a few that stood out... Col John J. Ellis, Maj Richard Ince, Maj Brian Basset, CSM Franklin.. and a few who I would have happily punched in the throat that shall remain nameless.

and thanks for being your self... Happy Thanksgiving...