Veterans for America First expands its national ambassador team with decorated U.S. Air Force veteran, journalist and former Norman City Council member Rarchar Tortorello
OKLAHOMA — September 7, 2026 — Veterans for America First (VFAF) announced the appointment of Rarchar Tortorello, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, senior White House correspondent and Oklahoma journalist, as a VFAF National Ambassador representing Oklahoma.
Tortorello brings to Veterans for America First decades of military service, public service, journalism and veterans advocacy. His background includes involvement in the aftermath of two major terrorist attacks against Americans, service in municipal government and extensive reporting on local, state and national government.
As a National Ambassador, Tortorello joins VFAF’s nationwide network of veterans, first responders, journalists, community leaders and advocates engaged in the organization’s educational and grassroots outreach.
Rarchar Tortorello
Rarchar Tortorello retired from the U.S. Air Force after a career that placed him at the center of two terrorist attacks on Americans.
Following the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Tortorello served as the coordinator between the bombing site and Tinker Air Force Base. He helped establish a secure evidence-collection site inside a Tinker hangar and coordinated the transportation of bombing debris and vehicle evidence for the FBI investigation that led to the prosecution and conviction of Timothy McVeigh.
A year later, Tortorello survived the Khobar Towers terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia. For his actions immediately after the bombing, he received the Airman’s Medal, the United States Air Force’s highest decoration for heroism outside direct combat. The medal recognized his extraordinary heroism and willingness to place his own life at grave risk to save and assist others.
That “outside direct combat” classification remains important to his story. Khobar Towers was treated as a terrorist attack, even though Tortorello and the other airmen were serving in what was effectively an active combat zone. He recalls Gen. Ronald Fogleman, then chief of staff of the Air Force, explaining that if the attack were ever reclassified as part of an active insurgency by enemy forces, their medals would be upgraded retroactively to the Medal of Honor.
Tortorello later served on the Norman City Council. After the previous council defunded the Norman Police Department in 2020, he moved to have that funding refunded. He also secured a BearCat armored rescue vehicle and nearly $1 million in new equipment for the department.
Today, Tortorello is executive editor of CityNewsOKC and CityNewsAmerica and a senior White House correspondent. He covers everything from local government and Oklahoma politics to national issues, including the Trump presidency.
He also serves on the boards of the Oklahoma Foundation for Limb Preservation and the Oklahoma Independent Providers Association (OKIPA) Charitable Foundation.
