Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

March 4, 2002 | Takur Ghar, Afghanistan ⚡

During the intense 17-hour engagement known as the Battle of Robert’s Ridge, SSgt Gabriel Brown distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry as a Combat Controller assigned to a Quick Reaction Force (QRF). The mission aimed to recover two American servicemen evading capture on a mountaintop occupied by massed al-Qaida forces. As their MH-47E Chinook attempted to land, it was raked by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire, causing it to crash-land in the snow. Immediately upon exiting the ramp, the team was met with a devastating hail of fire that caused multiple fatalities and critical casualties, including the later-mortally wounded USAF Pararescueman Senior Airman Jason Cunningham.

Pinned behind a rock less than 20 meters from an entrenched enemy bunker, Brown ignored the blizzard of "confetti-like" insulation and lead flying around him to establish satellite communications. He recognized that the survival of the 26 remaining servicemen depended entirely on technical lethality and precise airpower. Because the enemy was so close, Brown initially waved off heavy bombs to avoid fratricide, instead directing fighter aircraft through eight perilous strafing runs. As al-Qaida reinforcements began flanking the team from the south, the situation became desperate. Brown made the "danger-close" decision to call in three GBU-12 guided bombs and two Hellfire missiles within a mere 75 meters of his own position.

The resulting strikes skidded across the mountainside, collapsing the enemy bunker and incinerating a cluster of trees Brown used as a reference point. Even as mortars bracketed their position and temperatures plummeted, he remained glued to his radio, "talking the bombs onto targets" to prevent the small force from being overrun. While Brown orchestrated the air-to-ground destruction of the enemy, his teammate, Senior Airman Jason Cunningham, crossed the line of fire seven times to move wounded Rangers to safety before being fatally struck himself, actions which awarded him the Air Force Cross.

By the time extraction helicopters arrived under the cover of darkness, Brown’s masterful control of close air support had eliminated the immediate threats and secured the high terrain. For his boldness of spirit and for saving the lives of 26 teammates during the most harrowing scenario of Operation Anaconda, Staff Sergeant Brown was awarded the Silver Star. His actions, alongside the sacrifice of his teammates, became a defining chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics.

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

When we ask what makes special operations truly "special," the answer is simple: "Look no further than John Chapman." Those were the words of Col John "Coach" Carney, the father of Air Force Special Tactics, at the USAF Memorial in 2018. It’s a powerful testament to the fact that John is the only Airman to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

John, or "Chappy" to those who knew him, didn't start out as an elite Combat Controller. He joined the Air Force in 1985 working in information systems before he felt the call to push further, retraining for Special Tactics in 1990. But his character was formed long before he wore a uniform. As a kid, he was the one standing up to bullies. He was the guy who protected those around him simply because it was the right thing to do.

On March 4, 2002, on the freezing slopes of Takur Ghar during Operation Anaconda, that lifelong commitment to others reached its peak. In a brutal 17-hour firefight, John made the ultimate decision to stand in the line of fire. His actions that day cost him his life but saved the lives of 23 of his teammates. He didn't do it for a medal or for glory; he did it for the people standing next to him.

John’s legacy isn't just a historical footnote. It’s a living example for all of us. He showed us that integrity isn't something you find only on a battlefield—it’s how you live every single day. It’s about being a leader of character, choosing service before self, and having the courage to stand up when everyone else sits down. As CMSgt Mike Lamonica put it, John was quite simply a man of character.

Today, we remember MSgt John A. Chapman not just for his extraordinary heroism, but for the kind of man he was to his friends, his family, his brothers and his country.


We remember those killed and wounded that day:
--- Killed (all received the Purple Heart)
USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron:
- Master Sergeant John A. Chapman (CCT) (Medal of Honor, Posthumous)

USAF 38th Rescue Squadron:
- Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham (PJ) (Air Force Cross, Posthumous) Note: Jason is the first PJ to have received the Air Force Cross since the Vietnam War. He was also the first PJ killed in action since the Vietnam War.

SEAL Team Six:
- Petty Officer First Class Neil "Fifi" C. Roberts (Silver Star, Posthumous)
75th Ranger Regiment:
- Corporal Matthew A. Commons (Silver Star, Posthumous)
- Sergeant Bradley S. Crose (Silver Star, Posthumous)
- Specialist Marc A. Anderson (Silver Star, Posthumous)
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne):
- Sergeant Philip "Spytech" Svitak (Silver Star, Posthumous)

--- Wounded (all received the Purple Heart)

USAF 17th Air Support Operations Squadron:
- Staff Sergeant Kevin Vance (TACP), wounded by RPG fragments. (Silver Star)

SEAL Team Six:
- Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Stephen “Turbo” Toboz Jr., wounded in the left lower leg. (Silver Star)
- Electronics Technician 2nd Class Brett Morganti, wounded in both legs. (Silver Star)

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne):
- Chief Warrant Officer Donald Tabron, wounded by a single gunshot wound in the index finger. (Silver Star)
- Sergeant First Class Cory Lamoreaux, wounded by a single gunshot wound in the abdomen. (Silver Star)
- Staff Sergeant David Dube, wounded by a single gunshot wound in the left leg. (Silver Star)
- Chief Warrant Officer Greg Calvert, wounded by small arms fire to the left arm and hand, and RPG shrapnel to both legs. (Bronze Star w/ Valor)
- Chief Warrant Officer Chuck Gant, wounded by heavy machine gun fire to the left leg. (Silver Star)

75th Ranger Regiment:
- Captain Nate Self, wounded by RPG fragments. (Silver Star)
- Staff Sergeant Ray DePouli, wounded by RPG fragments. (Silver Star)
- Private First Class David Gilliam, wounded by RPG fragments. (Bronze Star w/ Valor)
- Specialist Aaron Totten-Lancaster, wounded by RPG fragments. (Bronze Star w/ Valor)

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

During the opening phases of Operation Anaconda, Technical Sergeant Andrew Martin, a Special Tactics Combat Controller, distinguished himself through exceptional gallantry while embedded with a five-man sniper team. Tasked with infiltrating the treacherous Shahi Kot region, Martin scaled an 11,000-foot peak while carrying over 100 pounds of gear, traversing 19 kilometers of precipitous terrain under extreme cold and high-altitude conditions. His efforts were central to locating and neutralizing a vast network of previously undetected Al Qaeda fortifications and fighting positions that threatened the larger coalition force.

Upon approaching a key target area, Martin’s team encountered a large-caliber automatic weapon position manned by four enemy fighters. Under an incoming hail of fire, the team assaulted the fortified position, using surgical rifle fire to eliminate two insurgents. Anticipating the need for immediate escalation, Martin had already pre-briefed an AC-130 gunship; within seconds of the initial contact, he coordinated a fire mission that wiped out the remaining enemy force. From this newly captured high-ground, he directed a continuous "storm" of close air support onto enemy elements staged to attack the valley below.

Over several days of sustained combat, Martin survived two direct mortar attacks and led two separate armed assaults against Al Qaeda positions, often engaging the enemy at close range. In one hour-long engagement alone, he was credited with five confirmed kills while supporting a friendly force under fire. Conservative estimates attribute 30 to 50 enemy kills to his team's actions. For his relentless devotion to duty and his ability to project devastating airpower from the most hostile environments on earth, Technical Sergeant Martin was awarded the Silver Star, reflecting the highest traditions of the United States Air Force.

View his Silver Star citation here: www.combatcontrolfoundation.org/combat-control-act…

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

26 FEB 1981 | While participating in Special Warfare Exercise 81 (SPECWAREX), an MC-130E Combat Talon I (call sign STRAY 59) from the 1st Special Operations Squadron crashed into the ocean shortly after departing NAS Cubi Point in the Philippines on a predawn mission. Eight of the nine crewmembers and 15 special operators, including CCTs SrA Glenn Bloomer and SrA James Bach, perished upon impact with the water.

Lost that day from 1 SOS: Major James Kirk, Pilot in Command, Captain Norman Martel, Co-Pilot, Captain Thomas Patterson, Navigator, Captain Gregory Peppers, Navigator, Technical Sergeant Stephen Blyler, Radio Operator, Technical Sergeant Barry Chumbley, Loadmaster, Technical Sergeant Gary Logan, Loadmaster, Staff Sergeant John Felton, Flight Engineer.

The 15 passengers lost were:

From the U.S. Air Force
- Senior Airman David Bingaman
- Senior Airman Glenn Bloomer (CCT)
- Senior Airman James Bach (CCT)
- Airman First Class Kyle Wells

From the U.S. Army
- Sgt. 1st Class Danny Janecki
- Staff Sgt. Patrick Estel
- Staff Sgt. Davis Hagen
- Sgt. Bryan Broadwater

From the Philippine Navy
- Radioman Petty Officer 3rd Class Rodrigo Penol
- Seaman Manuel Dumo

From the Australian Army
- Sgt. Ewen Miller
- Sgt. Murray Tonkin
- Signalman Gregory Fry

From the New Zealand Army
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class Dave Heywood
- Sgt. Dennis Terry

The MC-130E Combat Talon I Aircraft - Registration: 64-0564 Former Operation Heavy Chain and Operation Eagle Claw veteran 64-0564 crashed into the ocean shortly after a pre-dawn takeoff from NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, on 26 February 1981, killing 15 passengers and eight of nine crewmen.

The Talon was taking part in Special Warfare Exercise 81 and had flown 12 missions in the preceding 16 days. Following an administrative flight the day before, the crew was scheduled for its last mission, a night exercise that was set back from 01:00 local time to 04:30.

The flight profile consisted of a normal takeoff, a tactical landing a half-hour later to onload 15 passengers, followed by a tactical takeoff. The Talon reported normal flight conditions six minutes after the tactical takeoff but crashed nine minutes later.

No cause was determined, but investigators found that the likely causes were either crew fatigue from operations tempo, or failure of the terrain following radar to enter "override" mode while over water.

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

Feb. 22–23, 2016 | Baghlan Province, Afghanistan ⚡On this day in 2016, Staff Sgt. Keaton D. Thiem, a Combat Controller with the 22nd Expeditionary Special Tactics Squadron, displayed exceptional gallantry during a 14-hour battle near Nyazullah Village. Attached to a U.S. Army Special Forces team and Afghan Partnered Forces, Thiem was a key factor in a mission to prevent the collapse of the Pul-E Khumri District. Facing a series of six complex ambushes characterized by heavy machine-gun, RPG, and mortar fire, Thiem repeatedly disregarded his own safety to maintain situational awareness and coordinate devastating airpower against entrenched insurgent fighters.

During the initial phase of the fight, friendly forces were pinned down only 35 meters from the enemy. Thiem exposed himself to withering fire to secure targeting data and cleared two danger-close F-16 engagements, surgically dropping 500-pound bombs as close as 35 meters to friendly lines. This decisive action allowed his team to break contact and regain the offensive. Later, when a secondary ambush wounded eight personnel and separated four Afghan Commandos, Thiem maneuvered 100 meters through open terrain under a hail of gunfire to locate the missing men and organize a recovery effort.

Thiem personally led a recovery team 150 meters toward an enemy machine-gun position to retrieve the wounded Commandos, at one point bearing a litter for 200 meters while simultaneously directing AH-64 Apache 30mm gun runs to suppress the threat. By the end of the 14-hour engagement, he had orchestrated the efforts of 22 different aircraft, coordinating 18 complex close air support strikes that resulted in 33 enemies killed in action. For his bravery and technical expertise, which ensured the safety of a 100-man element, Staff Sgt. Thiem was awarded the Silver Star, epitomizing the "First There" ethos of the Special Tactics community.

Learn more about his actions by reading his full Silver Star citation on our website: www.combatcontrolfoundation.org/combat-control-act…

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

This week was a powerful milestone for our community. Four of our own: Kirby, Jeb, Susan, and Ricky traveled together to Mexico to receive life‑changing regenerative care. Their courage and hope made this journey truly special.

A heartfelt thank you to the ‪@MiracleHopeFoundation‬. Your partnership and unwavering support made this possible, turning a goal into a reality for these warriors. This is what it looks like when organizations rally together to heal those who have sacrificed so much. Your support didn’t just make this treatment possible; it created the opportunity for generational healing, giving these warriors the chance to fully participate in their lives and families again.

Both Executive Directors from the Combat Control Foundation and the Miracle Hope Foundation traveled with them and stood by their side throughout the treatment, ensuring that no one walked this journey alone.

The mission is still going as we continue to raise funds and find partners to help us make this opportunity available to our community. These donations power our First There 4 Wellness program that focuses on real healing, real impact, real lives changed.

Learn more about our First There 4 Wellness program and this initiative: www.combatcontrolfoundation.org/combat-control-fir…

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

Staff Sergeant Timothy P. Davis, a U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron was Killed-In-Action on February 20, 2009, near Oruzgan, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom.

He may be gone from us, but he is Never Forgotten & Always Remembered. 'It has been said that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken, that we are only truly gone when we've disappeared from the memories of those who loved us' - Terry Pratchett

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

We are honored to receive and share this thank you from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. It stands as a powerful reminder of why we exist and it belongs just as much to our incredible donors as it does to the Foundation. 🇺🇸⚡⚔️

To the team members of the 24 STS: thank you for your service, sacrifice, and for allowing us, and our community of supporters the privilege to have your back.

This flag symbolizes what happens when a grateful nation supports the tip of the spear.

First There. Always.

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

Many seek the prestige of the Scarlet Beret, but few can navigate the math at 160 beats per minute. With an attrition rate where 95% do not cross the finish line, the barrier is rarely physical—the true divide is cognitive. Combat Control demands a level of battlefield intelligence and surgical mental processing that separates the merely 'tough' from the truly elite. At the Combat Control Foundation, it is our highest honor to be First There for this community, providing support for these elite Airmen and their families.

Learn more these incredible individuals and what it takes to become a Combat Controller: combatcontrolfoundation.org/cct

Also, consider supporting our mission as strive to be First There to serve these incredible individuals, visit: combatcontrolfoundation.org/donate

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Combat Control Foundation | We are First There

What makes Combat Controllers unique is the combination of authorities they carry, not just individual skills.

They are FAA certified air traffic controllers who can deploy into combat. That certification, paired with combat skills, is what gives them legal and operational authority to control aircraft in places with no tower, no infrastructure, and often under fire.

They can survey, open, and certify assault landing zones and airfields. That includes dirt strips, highways, dry lake beds, beaches, or damaged runways in hostile territory.

They establish airspace control, deconflict fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, and integrate fires, drops, and landings in real time, often while embedded with ground forces.

They are trained to do this alone or in very small teams, forward of friendly lines, before follow on forces arrive. Combat Controllers are often described as the only force that can put the first airplane on the ground anywhere in the world and make it safe for the next one to land.

Learn more about the incredible airmen we serve visit: combatcontrolfoundation.org/cct

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