A U.S. Army master sergeant who appears in online content that has drawn widespread attention and criticism has been identified as a senior Army public affairs noncommissioned officer who appears to remain on active duty.
The material, which has circulated across social media platforms and private messaging channels, involves a fetish-themed persona using imagery that includes elements associated with the U.S. Army uniform. The content has generated significant discussion online, including calls for disciplinary action and questions about whether Army regulations were violated.
The Army has not publicly addressed the matter.
Open-source records and official Army media products identify the soldier as Master Sgt. Adrian Thomas Patoka, a career public affairs noncommissioned officer whose assignments have included multiple installations and overseas deployments.
A public-facing Army career
Patoka has appeared frequently in official Army media products over the course of his career.
In late 2021, then-Sgt. 1st Class Patoka appeared in a U.S. Army holiday greeting video filmed in Poland, where he sent holiday greetings to his family while assigned to a NATO-aligned rotational force.
Earlier in his career, Patoka also appeared in a separate Army holiday greeting video filmed in Germany while assigned to a theater-level sustainment command.
More recently, Patoka’s name appears as the credited photographer on official Army imagery from September 2025, documenting a Morale, Welfare and Recreation event hosted for 1st Cavalry Division soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas.
Public Army captions from 2024 list Patoka as the Security Force Assistance Command (SFAC) public affairs NCOIC, participating in professional development events at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Those captions identify him as an active-duty senior enlisted public affairs leader at that time.
Online reaction and unanswered questions
The online content associated with the persona has prompted sustained discussion across military-related social media communities. Critics have questioned whether the use of Army-associated imagery violates service regulations or undermines public trust, particularly given Patoka’s senior public affairs role.
Readers seeking additional context and details not appropriate for this platform can view the subscriber-only uncensored version at: 👉 TheSaltySoldierUncensored.com
Despite the public reaction, the Army has not issued any statements clarifying Patoka’s duty status, whether the content violates Army policy, or whether any administrative or investigative action is underway.
Army regulations restrict the use of the uniform in ways that could bring discredit upon the service or imply official endorsement of inappropriate conduct. Whether those standards apply in this case has not been publicly addressed.
Court records confirm active-duty status
Public court records reviewed by The Salty Soldier show that Patoka was still serving on active duty in the U.S. Army during 2025.
Those records reflect that Patoka was involved in a recent divorce and that his military status was formally recorded as active duty. The filings also indicate that his service obligations did not prevent him from participating in the legal process.
Additional publicly available records show Patoka relocated from a family residence to a separate apartment earlier this year, consistent with a change in personal circumstances. No criminal allegations or findings are associated with the civil case.
Army response pending
As of publication, the Army has not issued any public statements regarding Patoka’s status, whether the online content violates Army policy, or whether any inquiry has been initiated.
The Salty Soldier has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records related to whether Patoka is under investigation or subject to command or administrative action. Under federal law, the Army has 20 business days to respond.
Readers seeking additional context and details not appropriate for this platform can view the subscriber-only uncensored version at: 👉 TheSaltySoldierUncensored.com
© 2025 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written consent is strictly prohibited.
