Darrell Blocker
Darrell Blocker | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Nationality | American | ||
| Citizenship | United States of America | ||
| Alma mater | University of Georgia | ||
| Occupation | Intelligence officer | ||
| Employer | Central Intelligence Agency | ||
| Awards | CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal | ||
Darrell M. Blocker, nicknamed "The Spy Whisperer",[1] is an American former intelligence officer. He worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as a clandestine agent for 28 years. Blocker retired from the CIA in 2018, as the most senior Black officer in its Directorate of Operations (CIA), with a rank equivalent to a 3-star general, and was awarded the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. It was reported in November 2020 that President-elect Joe Biden was considering having him be the CIA's first Black Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; in the end, the President nominated William Joseph Burns.
Early life
Blocker grew up in Hephzibah, Georgia, in an Air Force family.[2] He also lived while growing up in Japan, Italy, Texas, and Augusta, Georgia.[2]
In Augusta he attended Windsor Spring Elementary, Glenn Hills Junior High School, and Butler High School (Augusta, Georgia).[3] While attending the University of Georgia, he sang in a church choir and was part of the glee club.[4]
Intelligence career
Blocker became an intelligence analyst for the United States Air Force. He held the position for four years, from 1987 to 1990.
He then joined the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Directorate of Operations (CIA), formally known as the Directorate of Operations, around 1990.[2][5] Blocker wrote his CIA entrance essay about the First Palestinian Intifada, and concluded that: "every nation in history that has fought and won actual territory, actual ground, them giving it back — it just hasn’t happened."[1]
Blocker was a CIA Operations officer (CIA), Chief of Station, Deputy Director of the Anti-Terrorism Station, and Chief of Africa Division.[5] From 1990 to 2018 while a CIA agent he served in 10 countries, among them Senegal, Burundi, Uganda (undercover; beginning in 2003), Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Morocco, and Pakistan.[2][6][3][5] He said: "I’ve had 27 addresses in my 56 years -- 22 of those as an adult."[3] He recruited and developed undercover sources who would provide him with intelligence about potential threats and targets, and recruited American spies.[7][8] He began playing music as part of his espionage duties in Senegal in 1996.[4] In Uganda, while he was undercover he became a minor celebrity as lead singer in a popular local band known as the "Kampala Jazz All-Stars".[1][9]
He began learning about Judaism while he was in college, and began wearing a chai as a pendant.[1] In 2017 Blocker converted to Judaism, after two years of study.[2] He identifies as a Conservative Jew.[2]
Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal of the CIA Blocker retired from the CIA in 2018, as the most senior Black officer in its Directorate of Operations.[2] He had a rank equivalent to a 3-star general.[3] He was awarded the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.[6][4]
Later career
He became the chief operating officer of the multinational security firm known as the Multi Operational Security Agency Intelligence Company (MOSAIC).[10][6] In August 2019 Blocker joined ABC News as a contributor.[4] He now lives in Santa Monica, California.[11]
It was reported in November 2020 that President-elect of the United States Joe Biden was considering having Blocker head the CIA, and that Blocker was on the President-elect's shortlist.[2][6][1] If selected, he would have been the CIA's first Black Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.[2] Axios (website) reported that insiders viewed him as a front-runner; but on the other hand reporter Spencer Ackerman characterized Blocker as "a long shot".[12] In the end, the President nominated William Joseph Burns.[12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Darrell Blocker, who could lead Biden's CIA, is a Black Jew known as a 'spy whisperer'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. December 9, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Kampeas, Ron (December 10, 2020). "Darrell Blocker, the Black, Jewish 'spy whisperer' who could lead Biden's CIA". The Times of Israel.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Meredith Anderson (December 8, 2020). "Meet the Augusta man who could be the next CIA director". WRDW.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Lucien Bruggeman (September 8, 2019). "'Singer Tailor Soldier Spy': A CIA officer's life as the frontman of one of Uganda's top bands". ABC News.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Meet Mosaic; Executive Board; Darrell Blocker; Chief Operating Officer". mosaicsec.com.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 McKay, Hollie (November 27, 2020). "Exclusive: Former CIA station chief Darrell Blocker floated to lead agency under Biden, source says". Fox News.
- ↑ Brandi Hitt (January 10, 2020). "Former CIA, FBI officials explain how agencies spy, gather intel". ABC7 Los Angeles.
- ↑ Devin Dwyer and Cindy Smith (October 6, 2020). "US spy agencies face 'shocking' lack of diversity". Yahoo.
- ↑ Hollie McKay (November 27, 2020). "Exclusive: Former CIA station chief Darrell Blocker floated to lead agency under Biden, source says". www.msn.com.
- ↑ Adams, Biba (November 30, 2020). "Former station chief Darrell Blocker being considered for CIA director: report". Yahoo. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ↑ "Darrell Blocker". tiger21.com.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Zach Dorfman (January 13, 2021). "Why Biden tapped William Burns for CIA". Axios.
External links
This article "Darrell Blocker" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.