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Today’s Combat Story is near and dear to my heart for reasons I can’t share because they’re classified. We hear the firsthand account from one of the men involved in the brutal 13 hours of fighting in Benghazi in 2012, Kris “Tanto” Paronto, who would later co-author the book “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi” and advise Director Michael Bay and the cast who created the movie of the same name.
This is one of my favorite episodes. Time flew by as we touched on so many topics from the learnings Kris shared in two other books (The Patriot's Creed: Inspiration and Advice for Living a Heroic Life and The Ranger Way: Living the Code On and Off the Battlefield) to insight into what it meant to be a part of the CIA’s GRS or Global Response Staff (read this CIA Career page to hear how interesting this job is and trust me when I say these guys were great: https://www.cia.gov/careers/jobs/protective-agent/) to how it felt the moment he and a handful of selfless other men decided to defy direct orders from above and risk their lives for other Americans in Libya.
There’s ZERO politics in this episode. If you’re looking for that, you won’t find it here. This is all about what happened to the people on the ground at the time, which made me appreciate Kris and his perspective even more.
Since leaving the military and Agency, Kris has become a serial entrepreneur with a clothing line, vodka brand, podcast, shooting and medical training courses, and is now making his tactical programs more of an experience with E3 Firearms which goes beyond just hitting the range and is something that I think many of our listeners will want to be a part of.
I hope you appreciate this wide ranging, hilarious, and selfless Combat Story as much as I did.
Find Kris Online:
- Instagram @real_kris_tanto_paronto https://www.instagram.com/real_kris_tanto_paronto/
- LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristantoparonto/
- E3 Firearms https://pages2.e3firearmsassociation.com/fol-page1638816034383
- Kris’s website https://kristantoparonto.com/
Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
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- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Guest Introduction (Kris Paronto)
2:25 - Interview begins
2:47 - How he got his call sign “Tanto”
6:30 - Background info on CIA GRS
11:43 - The GRS driving training course
13:20 - The detailed prep work involved in going into country somewhere as GRS
21:15 - Childhood, sports, and adrenaline rushes
26:33 - Why did you choose the military path?
30:10 - Time with the Rangers
36:58 - Getting kicked out of the Army
48:15 - Motivation for writing book “The Ranger Way”
50:51 - Why GRS?
56:47 - Getting a black passport and examples of GRS missions
1:05:13 - Benghazi 2012 and the endurance that you need to make it through a 13 hour gun fight
1:12:22 - Benghazi 2012 Waiting for authorization are deciding to do the QRF (quick reaction force)
1:17:59 - The significance of true sacrifice
1:20:41 - His current projects including Battleline Tactical, podcast, vodka company, and E3 Farms Association
1:26:25 - What did you carry into combat?
1:28:59 - Would you do it again?
1:32:27 - Listener comments and shout outs
How to Live a No Shortcuts Mentality w/ former Marine and Navy SEAL Kevin Seiff | Vet Collective | Helping 100K Vets
Inside the Iron Triangle | Vietnam Combat in Pictures (from the time) | Kent Hillhouse Rd 2
FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) Operator | SWAT & FBI Agent | Drug Squad | Bicycle Bandit | Operation Black Widow | Shaffer Security | Greg Shaffer
Commanding Tanks in Vietnam | Silver Star Mission | Armored Cavalry M48 Tanks in 'Nam | Kent Hillhouse (MG, Ret)
Operator Syndrome Impact on Vets, Active Duty, Law Enforcement and the Special Operations Community | Chris Frueh
Last Great Tank-on-Tank Battle | Battle of 73 Easting | Armored Cavalry | M1A1 Abrams | Tim Gauthier
Navy SEAL Sniper | UNSEALED | Hardest Experience Losing a Fellow Frogman | Enlisted & Officer | Mark Greene
Epic Medal of Honor Battle Description | Marine Force Recon | Army Special Forces | Earl Plumlee
F-15E Pilot and Weapons Officer | Teaching Fighter Weapons School - Tom Moser and Mike Benitez
Senior CIA Officer on Russia | Legendary Case Officer and Chief of Station | Glenn Corn
F-15E Weapons System Officer | Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient | Mike “Pako” Benitez (Round 2)
F-15E Weapons System Officer from Marine Helo Mechanic | Mike “Pako” Benitez (Round 1)
Inside Look at The Unit (not Delta Force) from Operator Adam Gomal | Getting Shot | Taking Out HVTs
Dropping Danger Close with F-15E Strike Eagle Fighter Pilot Tom Moser (Round 2)
F-15E Fighter Pilot, Marine & Police Officer | Fighter Weapons School | Tom Moser
Two SEALs Talking Combat Operations
Black Hawk Down - Setting the Record Straight | Silence and Light Musician - Brad Thomas Catchup
Navy SEAL Sniper | Almost Getting the Longest Kill in Combat | Sam Mackey - Round 2
The Making of a Navy SEAL Sniper | How to Overcome Struggle & Find Success | Sam Mackey - Round 1
Navy SEAL Combat Operations | Maritime Interdiction Ops | Platoon Chief | Iraq/AFG - Joel McGuire
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