Combat Control Foundation
The Combat Control Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 that delivers emergency assistance, scholarships, wellness, and heritage programming to U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controllers, their families, Gold Star families, and the broader Air Force Special Warfare community through its four-pillar First There program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersMary Esther, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Combat Control Foundation does
The Combat Control Foundation (CCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 and headquartered in Mary Esther, Florida, that provides assistance, scholarships, and remembrance programs for U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controllers (CCTs), their families, Gold Star families, and the broader Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) community. Its operations are organized under the 'First There' brand and delivered through four program pillars: FT4 Resiliency (emergency assistance including rent relief, home repairs, medical travel, and grief counseling), FT4 Wellness (injury and illness support), FT4 Education (scholarships for dependents), and FT4 Heritage (historical preservation, memorials, and the MSgt John A. Chapman Service Before Self Award). Beneficiaries access support through a confidential online assistance request form offering 24-hour urgent response.
CCF's underlying technology footprint is minimal: the foundation runs on a Wix-hosted website with no public API, SDK, or proprietary software platform, and its digital presence is concentrated in donation processing, news publishing, and social engagement across Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Reddit. Revenue is generated through three streams: individual donations, tiered corporate sponsorships via the Force Multiplier program (LIGHTNING, JUMP, WAYPOINT, PATRIOT tiers), and merchandise sales through a Zazzle storefront. The foundation's go-to-market is direct-to-donor, combining grassroots community engagement with event-based visibility (Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, Memorial Pushups tradition) and earned media.
Since inception CCF has delivered more than $1.25M in direct program support to 4,728 AFSPECWAR members and reached 24M+ people with mission education YTD 2025. The foundation operates within an AFSPECWAR Coalition alongside five peer special-operations nonprofits and three Gold Star Foundations, embedding CCF in a coordinated service-delivery network rather than a standalone charity. Governance combines retired Combat Controllers with corporate leaders, most recently including defense-tech CEO Sam Kellett Jr., who joined the board to professionalize operations and corporate development.
Combat Control Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Combat Control Foundation
- Legal name
- Combat Control Foundation
- Website
- https://combatcontrolfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Combat Control Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 that delivers emergency assistance, scholarships, wellness, and heritage programming to U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controllers, their families, Gold Star families, and the broader Air Force Special Warfare community through its four-pillar First There program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Combat Control Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Veteran and Military Family Support Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Veterans & Military Family Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAI)
Keywords
Where Combat Control Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mary Esther
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Combat Control Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donations from the public, supporters, and community members who contribute to support Combat Controllers and their families.
- Corporate Sponsorships (Force Multiplier Program): The foundation generates revenue through tiered corporate partnership sponsorships including LIGHTNING, JUMP, WAYPOINT, and PATRIOT tiers, with varying levels of recognition and engagement benefits.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of commemorative merchandise through Zazzle store, including the Combat Control Foundation brand items.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Combat Control Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Combat Control Foundation delivers charitable support programs to U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controllers, their families, and Gold Star families through its four-pillar 'First There 4' framework: Resiliency (emergency financial assistance, rent relief, medical travel, grief counseling, funeral expenses), Wellness (injury and illness aid), Education (higher-education scholarships for dependents), and Heritage (memorial preservation, reunions, and the Service Before Self Award). It also runs the Force Multiplier corporate partnership program for funding.
Product overview
The Combat Control Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2021 that operates a suite of support programs organized under its 'First There' brand. The core offerings include four pillars: First There 4 Resiliency (FT4-R) for emergency assistance, First There 4 Wellness (FT4-W) for injury/illness support, First There 4 Education (FT4-E) for scholarships, and First There 4 Heritage (FT4-H) for historical preservation and awards. The Foundation also operates a Force Multiplier corporate partnership program with tiered sponsorship levels (LIGHTNING, JUMP, WAYPOINT, PATRIOT) and provides an assistance request form for eligible beneficiaries. These programs collectively support U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controllers, their families, and Gold Star families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- First There 4 Resiliency (FT4-R): Program providing mission critical support for combat controllers, their families, and Gold Star families during challenging times including emergency assistance, grief counseling, and support for urgent needs.
- First There 4 Wellness (FT4-W)
- First There 4 Education (FT4-E)
- First There 4 Heritage (FT4-H)
Products and services
- First There 4 Resiliency (FT4-R) Emergency assistance program providing mission-critical support for Combat Controllers, their families, and Gold Star families during challenging times, including home repairs, rent relief, medical travel, grief counseling, funeral expenses, and day-to-day necessities such as cell phone coverage, daycare, and hotel stays.
- First There 4 Wellness (FT4-W) Program providing crucial financial and logistical aid to Combat Control Team members who sustain critical injuries or fall ill, empowering them to prioritize healing while also extending support to family members facing difficulties.
- First There 4 Education (FT4-E) Scholarship program empowering Combat Control Team family members by providing financial support for higher education and training, especially for dependent children in geographically separated duty locations.
- First There 4 Heritage (FT4-H) Program committed to preserving, educating, and honoring the legacy of the Combat Control Community through historical interviews, memorials, reunions, public educational events, and recognitions like the MSgt John A. Chapman Service Before Self Award.
- Force Multiplier Corporate Partnership Program Corporate partnership program with tiered levels (LIGHTNING, JUMP, WAYPOINT, PATRIOT) enabling businesses and organizations to provide marketing and financial support to the foundation while receiving recognition benefits including event access, logo placement, and commemorative gifts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4,728 AFSPECWAR members served since 2021
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Combat Control Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Combat Control Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Combat Control Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Grey Beret AssociationcoreAFSPECWAR Coalition partner providing support and resources to the Combat Control community. The Grey Beret Association represents a related special operations community.
- Pararescue AssociationcoreAFSPECWAR Coalition partner representing the Pararescue (PJ) community, working collaboratively with Combat Control Foundation to support special operations forces.
- Pararescue FoundationcoreAFSPECWAR Coalition partner providing support to the Pararescue community, allied with Combat Control Foundation's mission.
- Combat Control AssociationcoreAFSPECWAR Coalition partner representing Combat Controllers directly, collaborating on community support initiatives.
- TACP FoundationcoreAFSPECWAR Coalition partner supporting Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) professionals, allied with Combat Control Foundation.
- The Keigan Baker Memorial FoundationminorGold Star Foundation formed after the tragic passing of A1C Combat Controller Keigan Baker, continuing his legacy and supporting the Combat Control community.
- The Matthew Roland FoundationminorGold Star Foundation honoring the memory of Capt Matthew D. Roland, Air Force Special Tactics Officer KIA in Afghanistan in 2015.
- The Mark Forester FoundationminorGold Star Foundation honoring SrA Mark Andrew Forester KIA in 2010, awarding scholarships and supporting veteran organizations.
- LIGHTNING Force MultiplierflagshipFounded by veteran John Q Public, LIGHTNING Force Multiplier is a best-in-class product company for athletes and military service members. Became the first official corporate partnership for CCF in 2023, serving as CCF's largest corporate donor and providing marketing support and financial contributions to the foundation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Combat Control Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fisher House Foundation: Major established nonprofit providing temporary housing and family-support services to military and veteran families receiving medical care. While the model is broader, it competes for military-family donor mindshare and is a recognized comparator in family resilience programming.
- Gary Sinise Foundation: Large, celebrity-backed veteran nonprofit running entertainment, family, and resilience programs for service members, first responders, and their families. Competes for the same broad base of defense-adjacent corporate sponsors and individual donors.
- Navy SEAL Foundation: Large, established nonprofit supporting Naval Special Warfare personnel and families across warrior, family, and community programs. A scaled incumbent that competes with CCF for defense-sector corporate and high-net-worth donors.
Direct peers
- Special Operations Warrior Foundation: Provides scholarship and family support to surviving children of fallen SOF operators and immediate financial assistance to wounded SOF personnel. Closely comparable scholarship-and-emergency-relief model, with overlapping SOF donor and corporate partner ecosystems.
- Pararescue Foundation: AFSPECWAR Coalition partner providing direct emergency, wellness, education, and heritage support to Air Force Pararescue personnel and families. Operates the same First-There-style program structure and donor base, making it the most directly comparable peer.
- Combat Control Association: The official membership association for Combat Controllers, directly representing the same beneficiary base. Acts both as a coalition partner and as a fraternal membership organization that overlaps significantly with the foundation's community engagement mission.
- Green Beret Foundation: Established 501(c)(3) providing immediate and ongoing support to U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers and families across casualty assistance, family programs, and transition support. Operates a scaled equivalent of the Combat Control Foundation's First There pillars within the SOF community.
- Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund: National nonprofit supporting U.S. military personnel severely wounded or killed in service, with programs covering family support, rehabilitation, and memorial initiatives. Closely aligned in mission and donor base with the foundation's Gold Star and resiliency programming.
- TACP Foundation: Coalition partner that supports Tactical Air Control Party Airmen and families with emergency, education, and memorial programming. Mirrors the Combat Control Foundation's four-pillar model within a closely related Air Force Special Warfare career field.
Emerging players
- The Mark Forester Foundation: Gold Star Foundation honoring a fallen Combat Controller (SrA Mark Forester) that awards annual scholarships and supports veteran organizations. Operates as a smaller, memorial-focused nonprofit within the same Combat Control beneficiary community.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Combat Control Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceCombat Control Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Combat Control Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Combat Control Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Combat Control Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Combat Control Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Combat Control Foundation
What does Combat Control Foundation do?
The Combat Control Foundation delivers charitable support programs to U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controllers, their families, and Gold Star families through its four-pillar 'First There 4' framework: Resiliency (emergency financial assistance, rent relief, medical travel, grief counseling, funeral expenses), Wellness (injury and illness aid), Education (higher-education scholarships for dependents), and Heritage (memorial preservation, reunions, and the Service Before Self Award). It also runs the Force Multiplier corporate partnership program for funding.
Is Combat Control Foundation a public or private company?
Combat Control Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Combat Control Foundation founded?
Combat Control Foundation was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Combat Control Foundation based?
Combat Control Foundation is headquartered in Mary Esther, United States, in the North America region.
How does Combat Control Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships (Force Multiplier Program) and merchandise Sales.
Who are Combat Control Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fisher House Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation and Navy SEAL Foundation. Direct peers are Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Pararescue Foundation, Combat Control Association, Green Beret Foundation, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and TACP Foundation. The Mark Forester Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Combat Control Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Combat Control Foundation.
What industry is Combat Control Foundation in?
Combat Control Foundation's product category is Veteran and Military Family Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAKAI, Veterans & Military Family Benefits Administration. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8600.