Pedro Israel Orta is a Miami-born son of Cuban immigrants who fled the tyranny of Fidel Castro's communism. He brings his 18-year experience as a Central Intelligence Agency veteran to this memoir, having served in war-torn regions like Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and at the Inspector General for the Intelligence Community, working on whistleblower issues. Orta's bravery in exposing abuses of power led to his own retribution and termination despite earning eight Exceptional Performance Awards for his contributions to U.S. national security-mostly in counterterrorism operations. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Florida International University, a Summa Cum Laude graduate, and a Master's degree in Security Policy Studies from George Washington University-specializing in Defense Policy, Transnational Security Issues, and Political Psychology. Prior to his U.S. Government experiences, Orta served in the U.S. Army with an honorable discharge and worked in the business world for 14 years as a professional salesperson, account manager, territory manager, and buyer-mostly in perishable commodity sales. Earning numerous accolades for his professionalism, performance, and customer service. He has been a licensed Christian minister since 1991 with the Evangelical Church Alliance out of Bradley, Illinois, and an ordained minister since 2021 with the Orlando, Florida-based Christ for All Nations. when he completed the Evangelism Bootcamp program. In May 2023, Orta earned a diploma from Rhema Bible Training College in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Orta's passions include Astronomy and photography, with an award-winning landscape, travel, and nature portfolio featured at Viewbug and 500px under the name IsraelOrta. He calls Tulsa, Oklahoma, home, dedicating his time to writing, speaking, ministry, and photography-advocating for integrity, honor, and respect in government and society.
