Combat Controller Poser exposed

[ClearedHot]

Have not seen the story yet, but hearing AF Times is outing a guy named Anthony LaTorre who has falsely been claiming to be a USAF Combat Controller. Pictured below at a recognition ceremony in Florida.

[herkbum]

Have not seen the story yet, but hearing AF Times is outing a guy named Anthony LaTorre who has falsely been claiming to be a USAF Combat Controller. Pictured below at a recognition ceremony in Florida.

Yeah, looks like he was never taught how to wear a beret or blouse his boots. Hard to tell, but it doesn't look like he has the standard CCT badges.

[Guest]

Have not seen the story yet, but hearing AF Times is outing a guy named Anthony LaTorre who has falsely been claiming to be a USAF Combat Controller.

Ugh.

[M2]

He's got a MySpace page...

...that shows him what appears to be working on a Raptor...

If he really was a CCT, he seems like the type to brag about it.

And since I suspect that page is gonna disappear quickly, I downloaded it.

Cheers! M2

[Big Bear]

I'm pretty certain that this douche and Timmy are either related, or more likely lovers. Hey, it's legal now...

[OL Patch]

First rule I learned a long time ago from the closest combat vet I know (my Dad)...if they always are the first to bring up their accomplishments of great daring and covert ops--beware. Its amazing with all the emphasis (Stolen Valor, FakeSeals, POWnet, etc.) trying to squash this BS that these idiots still revel in their delusions. Maybe not enough hugs when they were children--or they were the last one picked for dodgeball (Always remember--Dodge, Dip, Dive, Duck, and Dodge!) Have to find something funny to make up for this crap.

Edit for old guy spelling issues. You know I once was a Special Ops F-15C Fighter Pilot..but of course, it wasn't my squadron!!

Edited February 11, 2011 by OL Patch

[Gravedigger]

Yeah, looks like he was never taught how to wear a beret or blouse his boots. Hard to tell, but it doesn't look like he has the standard CCT badges.

The fucker is wearing a HALO/jumpmaster badge...UPSIDE DOWN!

The badge would be appropriate but anyone that actually earned it would know how to wear it. The low quarters also stick out like a sore thumb.

Edited to add pic:

Edited February 12, 2011 by Gravedigger

[Radio]

The ######er is wearing a HALO/jumpmaster badge...UPSIDE DOWN!

The badge would be appropriate but anyone that actually earned it would now how to wear it. The low quarters also stick out like a sore thumb.

Edited to add pic:

Good eyes! I noticed the beret and name tag and strangely long ribbon rack for a SSgt. But that upside down badge is the best.

[Majestik Møøse]

The ######er is wearing a HALO/jumpmaster badge...UPSIDE DOWN!

The badge would be appropriate but anyone that actually earned it would know how to wear it. The low quarters also stick out like a sore thumb.

He's also missing a requisite diving badge that CCTs wear. Also, do CCTs always wear combat boots with blues or do they sometimes wear the regular shoes?

I can't believe someone who's in the current active duty military would do this - especially a guy who works around the flying community.

[Rokke]

I don't think he's refueling that Raptor. He's just standing on the ladder. Raptors aren't refueled near their canopy rail.

He's probably at an air show, wearing a phony uniform, and trying to figure out where he can buy a flightsuit with lots of cool patches.

[StoleIt]

The fucker is wearing a HALO/jumpmaster badge...UPSIDE DOWN!

I was trying to figure out what the hell that badge was.

Figured it was some weird foreign jump wings and he had them in the wrong spot...but damn...that's even more embarrassing.

Someone needs to jack that guy in the nuts repeatedly.

[Gravedigger]

Also, do CCTs always wear combat boots with blues or do they sometimes wear the regular shoes?

I attended an event that some CCTs were at, and every one of them wore combat boots with their service dress. Doesn't seem to be the low-quarter type of culture. Also check out the number of ribbons this assclown has compared to the NCOs, SNCOs, and Col below. I have absolutely zero doubt that this guy is a complete phony.

Edited February 12, 2011 by Gravedigger

[BattleRattle]

Link is to a photo of him with the CCT beret saluting after laying a wreath during a Wreaths Across America ceremony.

[MKopack]

The original photo comes from a story from Palm beach State College https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/x19825.xml, which describes him as: "Anthony LaTorre served in the Air Force from 2004 to 2010 achieving the rank of E-5/staff sergeant. His tours of duty include Baghdad and Fallujah in Iraq, and Kandahar, Afghanistan. He is currently a student at Palm Beach State."

His name also links to the facebook page for "Air Force Junior ROTC FL-824 Lake Worth High School" where Anthony J LaTorre IV wrote: "2000-2004 national drill team champs. still running strong..."

[Rokke]

Link is to a photo of him with the CCT beret saluting after laying a wreath during a Wreaths Across America ceremony.

This picture in the same series caught my eye. An Army reservist major wearing a Navy enlisted surface warfare badge? Who knows what the history of that is, but I don't think I've every seen anything like that before.

[Breckey]

Not to mention a bronze star and what looks like a purple heart without the National Defense Medal. Hell you get more ribbons for being commissioned than the "major" has on.

[Rokke]

Not to mention a bronze star and what looks like a purple heart without the National Defense Medal. Hell you get more ribbons for being commissioned than the "major" has on.

Edited. Looking for more info.

Officer (Major), Former NCO

US Army

(Government Agency; 10,001+ employees; USA; Military industry)

November 1993 Present (17 years 4 months)

Senior Military Science Instructor, Army ROTC

Florida Atlantic University

(Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)

2005 2009 (4 years )

Husband

Silvia

(Military industry)

2003 2009 (6 years )

Officer (LTJG), Former NCO

US Navy

(Government Agency; 10,001+ employees; USN; Military industry)

October 1982 March 1993 (10 years 6 months)

USS DeWert (FFG 45), USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ken Harriss Education

United States Naval Academy

BS , Political Science , 1985 1989

Edited February 12, 2011 by Rokke

[BattleRattle]

This picture in the same series caught my eye. An Army reservist major wearing a Navy enlisted surface warfare badge? Who knows what the history of that is, but I don't think I've every seen anything like that before.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[Skitzo]

is it not possible that he was a navy prior?

[Rokke]

This picture in the same series caught my eye. An Army reservist major wearing a Navy enlisted surface warfare badge? Who knows what the history of that is, but I don't think I've every seen anything like that before.

Small world and another sign I'm going senile. I dug a little deeper and turns out the guy and I were classmates at USNA (89) and actually in the same major. I have no recollection of him whatsoever. He was Navy enlisted prior to entering the Naval Academy and left the Navy in 1993. He's served in the Army ever since. Not sure why he'd still be wearing an enlisted surface warfare pin. But...whatever. Still doesn't make sense to me, but it is what it is and I apologize for questioning his integrity.

[M2]

It's not uncommon for prior service guys to wear their badges from that time, or even another service. I've seen numerous examples of folks wearing badges/ribbons from other services and even other countries!

Heck, people were confused by the fact that I have an OLC on my USAF training ribbon (I'm a prior guy as well). They get even more confused by the fact that I've got an Army Achievement Medal and never served a day in Big Green (it was for an exercise I worked for them). I've also got foreign jump wings I earned while on a military liaison team in eastern Europe, so it isn't always a good idea to question a badge/ribbon just because it isn't common. However, it is usually an indicator when that badge/ribbon is improperly worn!

That said, I still can't fathom anyone being stupid enough to pass themselves off as a CCT! It is a death sentence if/when he's caught, if this dude's an organ donor there may not even be anything left to harvest!

And Gravedigger, good eye on that upside down HALO badge. I was wondering what the fuck it was, and since I dorked the VID on the Raptor I thought I'd keep my big mouth shut for a while less I put my foot back in it again!

Cheers! M2

[Crog]

Got to check out his myspace photos at Air Force Italian. Hopefully that title will help him as he applies for next season of the "Jersey Shore"

The only thing I can tell for sure is that he was a maintainer at Langley, did a Kadena deployment with the 27th FS in 07, and probably a RF. Somehow he still had time to crosstrain!

Man, one thing pose as a fighter pilot, but a Combat Controller?! That's a pretty dramatic increase in the personal harm risk index!....

Edited February 12, 2011 by Crog

[BQZip01]

I know a few CCTs and CROs and all of them wear bloused combat boots, BUT that isn't conclusive evidence. Wearing the badge upside down? Even that could have been an honest mistake (not one I'd expect, but I've seen higher ranked personnel make worse public mistakes, like the major who wore his blues' shoulderboards upside down for an interview on FoxNews).

The name LaTorre also rings a bell for the time I spent in AFSOC.

The "refueling" picture doesn't make any sense because he's nowhere near the fuel port, isn't wearing PPE, and there seem to be 2 civilians in close proximity to the aircraft...no self-respecting SNCO would allow that to happen.

I'm interested to hear the story in the AF Tabloid...er...Times

[Prosuper]

At looking at the F22 picture and I have some experiance with the jet he appears to be standing on the crew entry ladder and in the foreground you can see the fuel moosehead hooked to the SPR which is out of focus. It has to be at civilian field because at a USAF base POL will not ever pump gas with that many nonessential personnel in the refuel area. Probably a airshow, you ever hardly see BDU's anymore unless it is a CAP meeting.

Looking at those CCT awards ceremony pictures I wonder if the Senior standing in front of a display case along with a Chief and Col has the same build as me, which means he gets crapped on the waist measurment with the new ht and wt standards. I wonder if their CC's look the other way for these guys who are in their 40's but in superb shape? With age you don't have the body of a 21 year old marathon runner at 48, I used to.

[Guest thestig]

Hey guys. I had to register just to comment about the cct fake;

This guy was at the 27th, my sister squadron, not so long ago. He was a real douchebag according to some of the crew chief expeditors/supers. It was a Ssgt friend of mine, who saw him post these pictures on his facebook. The guy never made Staff, and was barely a srA when he was generally discharged. The moment my friend saw these pictures, she called everybody. The only people to really pick it up were the AF Times. The ######er said he has done combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and his ribbon rack is bigger than some seniors and chiefs at our squadrons. I think it is one thing to pose, but this ######er actually posted this shit on his FB without even realizing he still had people on his friends list from Langley.