{{short description|American former intelligence officer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Darrell Blocker | education = University of Georgia {{small|(BA)}} | office = Central Intelligence Agency Counterterrorism Center | title = Deputy Director | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = {{flag|United States Air Force}} | service_years = 1987–1990 | children = 2 | president = George W. Bush | rank = 15px Captain | awards = Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal | occupation = Intelligence officer | nickname = "The Spy Whisperer"<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/2020/12/09/politics/darrell-blocker-who-could-lead-bidens-cia-is-a-black-jew-known-as-a-spy-whisperer|title=Darrell Blocker, who could lead Biden's CIA, is a Black Jew known as a 'spy whisperer'|date=December 9, 2020|work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}}</ref> | image = Darrel Blocker.jpg | branch_label = Branch }} '''Darrell M. Blocker''' is a former American intelligence officer who served for 28 years with the Central Intelligence Agency. He held prominent positions including deputy director of the Counterterrorism Center (CTC), Chief of Africa Division, and Chief of Training at Camp Peary, Virginia, better known as "The Farm". Within the intelligence community, Blocker was known for participating in a number of semi-professional musical ensembles during his postings abroad. He retired in 2018 as the most senior black officer in the CIA's Directorate of Operations. Since 2019 Blocker has been chief operating officer of intelligence and advisory firm MOSAIC, and a contributor for ABC News.
In November 2020, Fox News reported that president-elect Joe Biden had included Blocker among his shortlist of candidates to nominate for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; in the end, the position went to William J. Burns.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McKay|first=Hollie|date=2020-11-27|title=Exclusive: Former CIA station chief Darrell Blocker floated to lead agency under Biden, source says|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-darrel-blocker-biden-cia|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127195417/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-darrel-blocker-biden-cia |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |access-date=2020-12-01|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Early life== Blocker grew up in Hephzibah, Georgia, in an Air Force family.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/darrell-blocker-the-black-jewish-spy-whisperer-who-could-lead-bidens-cia/|title=Darrell Blocker, the Black, Jewish 'spy whisperer' who could lead Biden's CIA|first=Ron|last=Kampeas|website=The Times of Israel|date=December 10, 2020}}</ref> While growing up he also lived in Japan, Italy, Texas, and Augusta, Georgia.<ref name="auto"/>
In Augusta he attended Windsor Spring Elementary, Glenn Hills Junior High School, and Butler High School.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrdw.com/2020/12/08/meet-the-augusta-man-who-could-be-the-next-cia-director/|title=Meet the Augusta man who could be the next CIA director|website=WRDW|author=Meredith Anderson|date=December 8, 2020}}</ref> He then attended the University of Georgia, where he sang in a church choir and was part of the glee club, in addition to serving in Air Force ROTC.<ref name=abcnews/> He graduated in 1984 with a degree in psychology.
==Intelligence career== Blocker began his career as an intelligence analyst for the United States Air Force. He served for four years, from 1987 to 1990, before separating honorably.<ref name="auto"/>
He then joined the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Directorate of Operations, formally known as the Clandestine Service, around 1990.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://mosaicsec.com/|title=Meet Mosaic; Executive Board; Darrell Blocker; Chief Operating Officer|work=mosaicsec.com}}</ref> 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."<ref name="auto4"/>
Blocker was a CIA operations officer, Chief of Station, deputy director of Counterterrorism Center (CTC) under Michael D'Andrea, and later Chief of Africa Division.<ref name="auto3"/> Subsequently, he went on to lead the CIA training division at Camp Peary, Virginia, better known as "The Farm". Throughout his 28-year career, Blocker served in 10 countries, among them Senegal, Burundi, Uganda (undercover; beginning in 2003), Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Morocco, and Pakistan.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-darrel-blocker-biden-cia|title=Exclusive: Former CIA station chief Darrell Blocker floated to lead agency under Biden, source says|first=Hollie|last=McKay|date=November 27, 2020|website=Fox News}}</ref><ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto3"/> He said: "I’ve had 27 addresses in my 56 years -- 22 of those as an adult."<ref name="auto2"/> He recruited and developed undercover sources and spies who would provide intelligence about potential threats and targets in his area of responsibility.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7.com/5832921/|title=Former CIA, FBI officials explain how agencies spy, gather intel|date=January 10, 2020|author=Brandi Hitt|website=ABC7 Los Angeles}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/gma/us-spy-agencies-face-shocking-090705518.html|title=US spy agencies face 'shocking' lack of diversity|website=Yahoo|author=Devin Dwyer and Cindy Smith|date=October 6, 2020|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416173911/https://www.yahoo.com/gma/us-spy-agencies-face-shocking-090705518.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He began playing music as part of his espionage duties in Senegal in 1996.<ref name=abcnews>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/singer-tailor-soldier-spy-cia-officers-life-frontman/story?id=65415034|title='Singer Tailor Soldier Spy': A CIA officer's life as the frontman of one of Uganda's top bands|website=ABC News|author=Lucien Bruggeman|date=September 8, 2019}}</ref> While undercover in Uganda, Blocker became a minor celebrity as lead singer in a popular local band in the capital city of Kampala, known as the "Kampala Jazz All-Stars".<ref name="auto4"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/exclusive-former-cia-station-chief-darrell-blocker-floated-to-lead-agency-under-biden-source-says/ar-BB1bqnoZ?li=BBnb7Kz|title=Exclusive: Former CIA station chief Darrell Blocker floated to lead agency under Biden, source says |author= Hollie McKay| date=November 27, 2020|website=www.msn.com}}</ref>
He began learning about Judaism while he was in college, and began wearing a chai as a pendant.<ref name="auto4"/> In 2017 he converted to Judaism. He identifies as a conservative Jew.<ref name="auto" />
[[File:Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal of the CIA.jpg|thumb|180px|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.<ref name="auto"/> He had a rank equivalent to a 3-star general.<ref name="auto2"/> Upon retirement, he was awarded the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name=abcnews/>
==Later career== In 2019 Blocker became the chief operating officer of the multinational security firm MOSAIC (Multi Operational Security Agency Intelligence Company).<ref>{{cite web|first=Biba |last=Adams|date=November 30, 2020|url=https://news.yahoo.com/former-station-chief-darrell-blocker-141840211.html |title=Former station chief Darrell Blocker being considered for CIA director: report |publisher=Yahoo |access-date=November 30, 2020}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/> In August 2019 Blocker joined ABC News as a contributor, appearing on ''Good Morning America'' and ''This Week'' as a subject matter expert on Africa, Iran, North Korea and Terrorism.<ref name=abcnews/> He now lives in Santa Monica, California.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tiger21.com/presenter/darrell-blocker-mosaic-multi-operational-security-agency-intelligence-company/|title=Darrell Blocker|publisher=tiger21.com}}</ref>
He also consults on projects in the entertainment industry, including for MGM and Skydance on season 2 of CONDOR, a television adaptation of ''Six Days of the Condor'' by James Grady, which features a young CIA analyst as the primary protagonist.<ref name="Darrell Blocker">{{Cite web|title=Darrell Blocker|url=https://tiger21.com/presenter/darrell-blocker-mosaic-multi-operational-security-agency-intelligence-company/|access-date=2020-12-01|website=TIGER 21|language=en-US}}</ref>
Blocker also serves on the board of nonprofits Peace4Kids and HumanSlavery.com, organizations dedicated to improving the future of youth in foster care, and ending human trafficking and exploitation, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Darrell Blocker|url=https://www.spymuseum.org/host-an-event/spy-speaker-series/darrell-blocker/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130014311/https://www.spymuseum.org/host-an-event/spy-speaker-series/darrell-blocker/ |archive-date=November 30, 2020 |access-date=2020-12-01|website=International Spy Museum|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Darrell Blocker"/>
In November 2020, Fox News reported that Blocker was among President-elect Joe Biden's shortlist for Director of the CIA.<ref name="auto" /><ref name="auto1" /><ref name="auto4" /> Axios reported that insiders viewed him as a front-runner; but reporter Spencer Ackerman characterized Blocker as "a long shot".<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/why-biden-tapped-william-burns-for-cia-e5ece007-e810-40d1-ac3b-8cebe5d9198b.html|title=Why Biden tapped William Burns for CIA|author=Zach Dorfman |website=Axios|date=January 13, 2021 }}</ref><ref name="DailyBeastBidenDCI" /> In the end, the Biden nominated William J. Burns.<ref name="auto5" />
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=DailyBeastBidenDCI> {{cite news | url = https://news.yahoo.com/financial-batman-lead-run-biden-095351539.html | title = 'Financial Batman' in the Lead to Run Biden's CIA | work = The Daily Beast | authorlink = Spencer Ackerman | first = Spencer | last = Ackerman | date = December 17, 2020 | quote = Biden has several other candidates under consideration. Among the named: Susan Gordon, the former principal deputy director of national intelligence who quit the Trump administration in 2019; the former Defense Intelligence Agency director and retired Marine three-star general Vincent Stewart; and Darrell Blocker, said to be more of a long shot, a retired agency veteran with experience in the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. }} </ref> }}
==External links== *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Il35s7_lE "Darrell M. Blocker - His Journey in the CIA as a Real Life 007 Secret Agent,"] ''The Deal with Danny Brown'', September 16, 2019 (video) *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoRtcdDHgkc "The Spy Whisperer - Darrell M. Blocker,"] International Spy Museum, February 18, 2020 (video). *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQkdHixrcXQ "What's Your Water? Episode 11: Darrell Blocker, former CIA Operative,"] GED Productions, May 21, 2020 (video). *[https://finance.yahoo.com/finance/video/administration-means-intelligence-community-192618321.html "What a new administration means for the intelligence community; Former CIA Director of Operations Darrell Blocker discusses the impact President Joe Biden will have on the intelligence community as he starts his presidency."], Darrell Blocker, ABC News, January 20, 2021 (video).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blocker, Darrell}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:United States Air Force officers Category:People of the Central Intelligence Agency Category:Central Intelligence Agency operations Category:American intelligence analysts Category:Franklin College of Arts and Sciences alumni Category:People from Hephzibah, Georgia Category:People from Augusta, Georgia Category:ABC News people Category:African-American United States Air Force personnel Category:African-American Jews Category:American Conservative Jews Category:American chief operating officers Category:Converts to Judaism from Christianity Category:Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Military personnel from Santa Monica, California