Combat Controllers (CCT) are elite special operations forces who specialize in all aspects of air-ground communication, air traffic control, fire support, and command and control in austere environments. This site is dedicated to their legacy.
CERTIFIED BADASSES
TSgt Jeffrey Bray
24th STSA Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Bray was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the "Black Hawk Down" incident (1993). He developed an ingenious perimeter marking system and coordinated gunship fire from a rooftop, saving numerous lives.
SSgt Dan Schilling
24th STSA Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron during the Battle of Mogadishu, SSgt Schilling served as a ground-air communicator and key figure in the rescue convoy. He is the co-author of "The Battle of Mogadishu" and was "Last Out" during the withdrawal.
SrA Zachary Rhyner
21st STSA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SrA Rhyner became the first living CCT to receive the Air Force Cross. During the Battle of Shok Valley (2008), he controlled 8 fighters and 4 helicopters while wounded on a cliffside to save his team.
SSgt Robert Gutierrez
21st STSA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Gutierrez was awarded the Air Force Cross for heroism at the Battle of Herat (2009). Despite a collapsed lung from a gunshot wound, he continued to direct "danger close" airstrikes after a field medical procedure.
SSgt Ralph Guthrie
23rd STSA Combat Controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Guthrie was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his actions during Operation Medusa (2006). Attached to a Special Forces ODA, he orchestrated a relentless volume of precision airstrikes, neutralizing critical enemy positions under intense fire.
TSgt Ismael Villegas
21st STSA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Villegas is a two-time recipient of the Silver Star. His actions in Afghanistan (2009 and 2011) involved protecting his team during ambushes and controlling massive amounts of airpower to neutralize threats.
SSgt Dale Young
Attached to Army Special ForcesA Combat Controller attached to Army Special Forces, SSgt Young distinguished himself in Afghanistan (2009). He remained under continuous enemy fire for 94 hours, ensuring effective air support on enemy positions to protect his team.
SrA Dustin Temple
21st STSA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SrA Temple was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in Helmand Province (2014). He dragged a wounded teammate from a rooftop and directed danger-close strikes while repelling an overwhelming enemy force.
TSgt Clint Campbell
23rd STSA Combat Controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Campbell received the Silver Star for actions in Kandahar (2010). He ran 300 meters through enemy fire to mark a target and directed 22 airstrikes, neutralizing a massive insurgent force.
SSgt Evan Jones
22nd STSA Combat Controller with the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Jones was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in Afghanistan (2008). Despite being wounded by shrapnel, he refused medical evacuation to continue coordinating close air support for his team.
Capt Barry Crawford Jr.
21st STSA Special Tactics Officer with the 21st STS, Capt Crawford was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in Laghman Province (2010). He ran into the open under fire to coordinate the evacuation of wounded Afghan soldiers and controlled 33 aircraft during a 10-hour battle.
MSgt John A. Chapman
24th STS (KIA 2002)A Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, MSgt Chapman was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Takur Ghar. He charged an enemy bunker alone to save his team and engaged the enemy until the end.
SSgt Andrew Harvell
24th STS (KIA 2011)"Big Andy," a Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, was killed in the Extortion 17 Chinook crash. He was a recipient of two Bronze Stars with Valor and two Purple Hearts, known for his leadership and bravery.
Capt Matthew Roland
23rd STS (KIA 2015)A Special Tactics Officer with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Capt Roland was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. He sacrificed himself to alert his convoy of an insider attack at a vehicle checkpoint in Afghanistan, saving his team.
SSgt Forrest Sibley
21st STS (KIA 2015)A Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Sibley was killed in action alongside Capt Roland. He was a four-time Bronze Star recipient, awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for controlling 60 aircraft during a three-day battle in 2012.
SSgt Sean Harvell
22nd STS (Died 2016)A Combat Controller with the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Harvell was awarded two Silver Stars for actions in Afghanistan (2007), a rare feat reflecting his immense courage. He drowned in 2016 near his home in Long Beach.
SSgt Scott Sather
24th STS (KIA 2003)A Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Sather was the first enlisted Airman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his leadership and bravery during the initial invasion.
SrA Mark Forester
21st STS (KIA 2010)A Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SrA Forester was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. He was killed in action in Uruzgan Province while exposing himself to enemy fire to save a fallen teammate.
TSgt Daniel Zerbe
24th STS (KIA 2011)A Pararescueman/Combat Controller element member with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Zerbe was killed in the Extortion 17 crash. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for eliminating a high-ranking Taliban leader during a prior deployment.
TSgt Marty Bettelyoun
720th OSS (Died 2015)A highly experienced Combat Controller and instructor with the 720th Operations Support Squadron. TSgt Bettelyoun passed away following a training accident, leaving a legacy as a dedicated mentor to the next generation of controllers.
MSgt Charles Paradise
8th Aerial Port Sq (KIA 1967)A Combat Controller with the 8th Aerial Port Squadron, MSgt Paradise was lost in a C-123 crash in Vietnam along with 3 other controllers. It remains the largest single loss of CCT life in the Vietnam War.
This list is a small fraction of the brave men who have served. For a complete memorial, please visit the Combat Control Foundation.