Naman Shrestha
When the two planes crashed into the World Trade Center’s twin towers in the Big Apple on September 11, 2001, the entire nation was shocked to its core and seemed to have collapsed. Almost instantly, the CIA figured that Osama bin Laden and his terrorist organization, Al-Qaida, were responsible for the attacks. In order to invade Afghanistan, where the culprits were based, the Field Commander of the CIA, Gary Berntsen, was chosen to lead the attack. In Netflix’s ‘American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden,’ Gary features in the docuseries and opens up about the invasion and his attempts to capture Osama.
Gary Berntsen Was an Integral Member of the CIA For Over Two Decades
Gary Berntsen was brought up in Smithtown, Long Island, and was determined to become a part of the United States Army. When his parents refused to allow him, he joined the Air Force at the age of 18. During his stint as a Crash Firefighter with the Air Force, he got the opportunity to travel to new places, including Alaska and South Korea. Following his enlistment, he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico, where he also minored in Russian Studies. After his graduation, he spent the next two years attending the US Marine Corps Platoon Leader Class.
However, when Gary got the opportunity to join the CIA in 1982, he took it. For the following two decades or so, he served as a chief of Station three times, leading some of the most important counterterrorist deployments, especially between 1995 and 2005. He also played a crucial role in assembling and commanding the CIA paramilitary team that took down Osama bin Laden in his Pakistani compound. Furthermore, he was a Senior CIA Field Commander for ten years or so.
Gary’s Life After the CIA: Becoming an Author, Entry into Politics and Appearing on National TV
In June 2005, Gary Berntsen resigned from his position in the CIA after more than two decades of service. During his tenure with the agency, he earned the Distinguished Intelligence Medal reportedly in 1998 and the Intelligence Star in 2004. A year after his resignation, in 2006, he was awarded the first William F. Buckley Award for Leadership by Intelcon. The award was introduced in memory of the CIA Station Chief, who was kidnapped and murdered in Lebanon in 1984.
In the following years, he also co-authored a couple of books with Ralph Pezzullo — ‘Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA’s Key Field Commander’ and ‘The Walk-In.’ Moreover, in October 2008, he published his third book titled ‘Human Intelligence, Counterterrorism, and National Leadership: A Practical Guide.’ According to reports, he has made many TV and radio appearances, including on NBC, Fox, CNN, and MSNBC, since then. He has also been interviewed by the likes of Chris Mathews, Bill O’Reilly, John Kasich, and Tim Russert.
In 2010, Gary ran for the US Senate as he announced his candidacy for the New York Senate Seat. Thanks to the immense support from the New York Tea Party movement, he became the Republican designee for the US Senate against Jay Townsend, who served as the Conservative party designee. On top of that, Gary was also named Carl Paladino’s nominee for Senate on his “Taxpayers Party” line. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, he lost the Republican primary to his rival, Jay Townsend, in September 2010. Even after several years of his retirement from the CIA, the then-New York resident continued spreading knowledge and awareness about terrorism and how to navigate international crime, crisis, and terrorism. As of today, from what we can tell, Gary is leading a life of privacy, surrounded by the love and care of his dear ones.
Read More: Abu Zubaydah: Where is the Alleged Terrorist Now?
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