One bloke I can name, one was my Winco at Lossie many years ago who went on to be an AVM I seem to recall. I guess I didn't really appreciate him at the time, but several years later at a reunion to took the time to stop and chat. Then you realised that he did take notice of every one of us in the squadron, even though you might have only seen him in or out once a month.
One other I would mention in dispatches, even though I worked with him long after I left the mob when we were both civvies. He was a test pilot who had the sort of boundless energy you get in a Collie dog. You could have a serious engineering argument with him one minute and a whimsical trip through aviation fantasy the next. Always a kind word when required, but also could point out the error of your ways in such a fashion that you took it as a compliment. If he'd still been in the mob he was the sort of officer you would have done anything for!