Darrell Blocker

Blocker grew up in Hephzibah, Georgia, in an Air Force family. While growing up he also lived in Japan, Italy, Texas, and Augusta, Georgia. 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. 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. 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." He began playing music as part of his espionage duties in Senegal in 1996. 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". He began learning about Judaism while he was in college, and began wearing a chai as a pendant. In 2017 he converted to Judaism. He identifies as a conservative Jew. of the CIA Blocker retired from the CIA in 2018, as the most senior black officer in its Directorate of Operations. He had a rank equivalent to a 3-star general. Upon retirement, he was awarded the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. ==Later career==

In 2019 Blocker became the chief operating officer of the multinational security firm MOSAIC (Multi Operational Security Agency Intelligence Company). 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. 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. In the end, the Biden nominated William J. Burns. ==References==