He was an Air Force TACP which is very different than air controller/combat controller. They direct firepower from the air and integrate with ground units from everywhere. The idea is that the Air Force wants to train people specifically on the capabilities, limits, and dangers of air power, they don't want some army private out there being ordered by some dumbass platoon leader to call for a warehouse of bombs on something completely inappropriate. It would 100% happen if they just let anyone call for air power. The only exceptions I know to this are in prep for very specific air heavy missions where some army guys with no names have gone to Air Force schools and been certified. Even then they don't just take like random SF guys or anything, the army is always asking and the AF pretty much always says no. I think there are a couple army folks out there, who are probably not certified anymore, but once were, left over from those secret squirrel missions and some pilot programs, but that's it. Anyway, that's what TACPs do.

Goggins said that he worked with some smart and good dudes in the TACPs, but his dreams were with the PJs, so he pretty much didn't give the TACP life the respect it deserved at the time, and he just wanted to get out. This was before the SEALS, and when he got out, he became extremely heavy, 290+, and lost 100lbs in 3 months by being a fucking savage maniac in order to qualify for the SEALS. The man is fucking incredible, and I also fear for his health and well-being, but I'm also positive he'd tell me to stop being a pussy and worry about my damn self.

Source: his recent autobiography titled Can't Hurt Me