Kris Paronto

In October 2019 his third book The Patriot's Creed, also a self-help book, was released.

In 2017, Paronto released his second book, The Ranger Way: Living the Code On and Off the Battlefield, a self-help book and survival guide based on Paronto's military experiences.

Paronto hosted the pilot episode of War Heroes, a documentary series about American military personnel, produced by The 14th Hour Foundation.

Paronto is co-founder of the 14th Hour Foundation, a non-profit organization "committed to raising and dispersing funds to help the lives and futures of Veterans, Military Contractor Personnel, and First Responders who have served and sacrificed to protect the American Homeland."

Kris "Tanto" Paronto is an American author, businessman, and former U.S. Army Ranger and CIA security contractor. He is known for his heroic actions while part of the CIA annex security team during the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stephens and the CIA compound in Benghazi. He is featured in the book 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi and is credited as a co-author, and is author of the self-help 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.

Paronto was a CIA private security contractor guarding the Benghazi, Libya CIA annex, during the 2012 Benghazi attack. CIA contractors Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty were killed in the attack along with the U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Specialist Sean Smith. After Benghazi, Paronto served as a security contractor in Yemen before leaving the CIA.

Paronto served four years as an Army Ranger followed by four years in the Army National Guard. He reached the enlisted rank of Sergeant before receiving a commission in 2003.