Kris “Tanto” Paronto (bio)
Inspiring Hero of the 2012 Benghazi Attack & Subject of
the Major Motion Picture, 13 Hours
Kris Paronto—“Tanto” as he is affectionately known in security contracting circles—is a former Army Ranger from the 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 U.S. Government’s Global Response Staff conducting low profile security in high threat environments throughout the world. Paronto was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012, helping to save over 20 lives while fighting off terrorists for over 13 hours. Paronto’s story is told in the 2016 major motion picture 13 Hours. In this program, Paronto uses his experiences in Benghazi that taught him the importance of being able to depend and trust his team, especially in times of major crisis. From combat to business, he shares techniques, stories, and lessons he learned from having a strong team under fire.