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Kris "Tanto" Paronto
- Former Ranger, 2nd Battalion, 75th Regiment
- Responded to the Benghazi 2012 Attack
- Author of The Ranger Way and The Patriot's Creed
- Co-Author of 13 Hours The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi
- Motivational & Public Speaker
- Co-Host on Battleline Podcast
- Founder of the 14th Hour Foundation
- Owner of Battleline Tactical
- Co-owner of Tanto Vodka
- Host of Pro-Military Documentary TV series War Heroes
- Co-Founder of E3 Firearms Association
Kris Paronto - “Tanto” as he is affectionately known in security contracting circles - is a former Army Ranger from 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and a private security contractor who has deployed throughout South America, Central America, the Middle East and North Africa. He also worked with the US Government’s Global Response Staff conducting low profile security in high threat environments throughout the world..
Kris was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the US Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya on September 11th, 2012, helping to save over 20 lives while fighting off terrorists from the CIA Annex for over 13 hours. Kris and his fellow brothers-in-arms story is told in the book 13 Hours written by Mitchell Zuckoff.
Kris was born in Alamosa, Colorado, and obtained his Associate Degree from Dixie College (now Dixie State University) in St. George, Utah, Bachelor’s Degree from Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Master's Degree from The University of Nebraska at Omaha. He served 4 years in the US Army and an additional 4 years in the US Army National Guard; reaching the rank of Sergeant, then becoming a commissioned officer in 2003. He started contracting for Blackwater Security Consulting in 2003, and continued to deploy on various security contracts, including the Global Response Staff, until 2013.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
Kris Paronto offers a firsthand account of what happened on the ground during the 2012 Benghazi attack.
Bringing valor, compassion, and authenticity to the stage, Kris shares the unforgettable story of the brave individuals who fought back in Benghazi along with key takeaways on leadership and teamwork that can be applied in any environment.
13 HOURS
13 HOURS sets the record straight on what happened during the Battle of Benghazi. It is the true account, told by the surviving members of the the CIA Annex Security Team, of the events that unfolded on September 11, 2012. A team of six American security operators fought to repel the attackers and protect the Americans stationed there when the diplomatic Compound and nearby Annex were overrun.
THE RANGER WAY
The Ranger Way, is a USA Today Bestseller. Kris pulls from his experiences as a Army Ranger, private security contractor and his own personal life to lead the reader down a path of accepting every success and every failure as an opportunity for growth. Learn how the power of humility, strength, faith and brotherhood will sustain you on the road to accomplishing your mission.
THE PATRIOT'S CREED
In The Patriot's Creed, Kris Paronto uses the seven core Army Values that all soldiers learn in Basic Combat Training, and the experiences of other military personnel and private security contractors to explain how anyone can improve themselves, the world around them, and live a heroic life.
