About Robert Young Pelton

Author and filmmaker, Robert Young Pelton is known for overcoming extraordinary obstacles in his search for the truth. He has made a career of bypassing the media, border guards and the military in his goal of getting to the heart of the story. In his travels to and through the world’s most dangerous places, Pelton has shared risks with his hosts and often has become the sole surviving witness to history-shaping events. His recent journeys have taken him inside the siege of Grozny in Chechnya, the battle of Qala-I-Jangi in Afghanistan, the rebel campaign to take Monrovia in Liberia, inside the hunt for Bin Laden in the Tribal Areas with the CIA, with insurgents during the war in Iraq and running RPG Alley every day for four weeks with Blackwater in Baghdad.

Pelton is also known for penetrating many of the world’s most dangerous terrorist, rebel and paramilitary organizations. His goal as a neutral observer and accurate chronicler of events has earned him access on all sides of many wars including being the only journalist in combat operations with US Special Forces in Afghanistan and other covert and private military groups.

His travels have not been without penalty. He has been kidnapped by right wing death squads in Colombia, survived a plane crash in Indonesia, a head on motorcycle accident in Peru and gracefully endured numerous detainments and attacks.

His access has allowed Pelton to return with stunning interviews, surprising stories and unforgettable footage for his articles, documentaries and books. The world met just one the many characters Pelton has met when they watched his world exclusive interview of the American Taliban, John Walker Lindh.
In addition to his work for National Geographic Adventure, Pelton has worked for Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, ABC News, CBS 60 Minutes, CNN and other major media networks. His unusual perspective, insight and humor have made him a popular guest on news networks and entertainment shows that range from Oprah to NPR.

As an author, Pelton is best known for his classic underground guide to surviving danger; Robert Young Pelton’s The World’s Most Dangerous Places (Harper Collins), now in its fifth edition. His other books include Come Back Alive (Random House), an intense autobiography, The Adventurist (Broadway Books) and his latest: Three Worlds Gone Mad (Lyons Press) a book about three wars and the people Pelton met fighting them. His upcoming books are Licensed to Kill, the Privatization of the War on Terror, a book about mercenaries and private contractors for Crown Books, and Raven, a young adult book based on his early childhood, for Penguin.

Want to know more about Robert Young Pelton? Check out his autobiography, "The Adventurist".

Contact the Lavin Agency to book RYP as a speaker

Selected Career Highlights

For Selected Writings and Articles, see Press.

2005
Presentation to Rand (Sept.)
Developed “Praedict” a risk analysis concept, marketed as a private intelligence service in association with Eason Jordan, former president of CNN Newsgathering (January)

2004
Stockholm Sweden - Presentation at Swedish Military Academy (Dec.)
Oxford, UK - RUSI Conference on Private Military Companies (Dec.)
Baghdad, Iraq: Ran BIAP- Green Zone daily run with Blackwater security team (Nov.)
Washington DC - Featured Speaker National Geographical Society (Oct.)
Triple Canopy Training Program (Sept.)
Moyock, NC - Instructor: “Mirror Image” Blackwater Academy (Jul.)
“Kidnapped!” Featured in Best of Adventure and Survival Anthology 2003 (April)
Commissioned to write non-fiction book on private military contractors for Random House (April)
Keynote speaker for Travel Health Insurance Assoc (March)

2003
Traveled to Afghanistan to film secret task force 121 hunting for Bin Laden. Spent time with CIA Paramilitary along border with Pakistan (Dec.)
Speaker at Yale University (Sept.)
Chaired OSS conference, Washington DC (Sept.)
Invited to Ft Bragg to participate in Special Forces training (June)
Iraq - Covered hunt for WMD for CBS - 60 Minutes II (April)
Covered war as freelance journalist/filmmaker for the ABC I-Team (March)
Kidnapped while crossing the Darien Gap by the AUC-BEC, a right wing paramilitary group while on assignment for National Geographic Adventure. (Jan. 14-24)

2002
Monthly columnist in National Geographic Adventure (Nov.)
First US contact with Liberia LURD Rebels (Sept.)
In Putamayo region of Colombia with paramilitaries, shot footage of coca labs (Aug.)
Travel Channel, Discovery 60 minute Special “Inside Afghanistan” aired (Aug.)
Keynote speaker OSS conference. (May)
Defended by CNN in Walker Lindh trial. Amicus briefs filed by New York Times, Washington Post, Time, CNN, Newsweek and other major media companies. (April)
Assoc. Producer of Channel Four / CNN Presents “House of War” documentary of the uprising at Qala – Jangi fortress (April)

2001
World Exclusive interview of John Walker Lindh for CNN (Dec.)
The only journalist with a covert Green Beret “A” team and General Dostum in Northern Afghanistan during war. (Nov.)
Commissioned to do article on Sierra Leone by National Geographic Adventure (Nov.)
Sierra Leone -Interviewed RUF rebels, kamajors, mercenaries and faction leaders. (Sept.)
Traveled the entire length of the Huallaga Valley in Peru to film the coca business. Traveled and worked with traqueteros. Then with Peruvian Commandos. Documented both the reconstruction, fighting and illegal drug business in Peru (Sept)
Featured speaker at IdeaLab in Toronto Ontario (June)
Met and interviewed FARC rebel leaders Marulanda "Sureshot", Jorge Briceno aka "Mono Jojoy", Alphonso Cano and other top ranking Marxist rebel officials. (June)
Colombia. Trip included training and combat missions with Colombian Marines, Special Forces, Navy, Army and assaults on Urban Guerillas and military operations to remove cocaine labs. (June)
Awarded Golden Candle Award from OSS. (May)
Featured speaker at OSS Conference in Washington (May)
Offered world exclusive interview with Carlos Castano, leader of the AUC or Colombian paramilitaries. (May)
Featured Speaker at TED in Toronto, Canada (2001)

2000
Entered rebel-held Chechnya during Russian siege. Met with top commanders including President Maskhadov, interviewed captured Russian spy, gathered first evidence of gas attacks on civilians. Survived numerous bombardments, including Grad, aerial bombardment and SCUD attacks.  (Dec)
Numerous interviews and appearances to promote books and television show. (2000)

1999
Interviewed Peter Fonda, Willy Nelson, Freemen militia, Hell’s Angels and others for television show on America.
Interviewed Hashim Salamat at Camp Abubakre, Mindanao. Leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
First person to film the rebel group RPA-ABB on Negros island, Philippines
Interview with Ahmad Shah Massoud, Northern Afghanistan in Taloqan
First outsider in two years to meet with and interview Francis Ona, rebel leader on island of Bougainville
Interviewed fugitive and rebel leader Nilo de La Cruz, leader of the “Sparrows” hit squad, credited with 200 murders (Including head of CIA station in Manila)

1998
Editor-at-Large for Blue Magazine
Visited front lines and interviewed various taliban leaders in Afghanistan
Guest Expert and Student at classified AHATS (Advanced Hostage and Terrorism Survival) Class for Navy Seals and Marine Forward Recon at Coronado, California
Traveled with ABC News crew for prime time adventure show segment and profile on 20/20. Never shown because ABC crew refused to enter Bougainville and Afghanistan.
Spent one month with demining crews/UXO removal in Afghanistan near bin Laden’s training camps
Featured Speaker at TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), Monterey California
Met with Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) leaders and visited front lines in Southern Sudan
Invited by Francis Ona (BRA rebel leader) to visit rebel held island of Bougainville. Deported from the Solomon Islands
Survived terrorist bomb attack in Kampala, Uganda. Four dead, 12 wounded.

1997
DP3 Published - Sales double that of previous year.
Numerous interviews and profiles on for television broadcasts, magazines and newspapers including global print and TV release by Associated Press, The Guardian, Knight Ridder, Canadian Press and others.
Entered Tajikistan to meet with kidnapped UN members (two kidnapped later, one killed). Worked in the war zone as photographer and assisted in repatriation of refugees from fighting in Afghanistan.
Traveled through Algeria’s "Triangle of Death" during the elections without bodyguard.
Invited to meet with Ahmed Shah Massoud, Defense Minister of Afghan Alliance in Northern Afghanistan as well as Dostum, Malik and Rabani. Turned back by Uzbek border guards.
Completed second motorcycle racing class at Laguna Seca (Reg Pridmore, CLASS)

1996
Searched for kidnapped Western hostages in Kashmir, India.
Hired as spokesperson for AT&T (WorldNet Services)
Featured speaker at a number of adventure and outdoor expositions
Completed the first circumnavigation of the island of Borneo by land
Set up world’s first television interview with the leadership of Afghanistan’s taliban

1995
Published third book; Fielding’s The World’s Most Dangerous Places
Conducted first North American interview of warlord Sedat Bucak in Siverek Turkey
Published second book; LA Agenda

1993
Wrote first book; Fielding’s Borneo

1992
Mounted a number of expeditions on and around the island of Borneo to create CD ROM and book.
First outsider to descend the Sembakung River in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Led first expedition to enter The Lost World (Maliau Basin) in Sabah, Malaysia
Pelton & Assoc. listed by Inc. Magazine as the 145th fastest growing privately held corporation in America

1991
Member of the Trans-Pen (expedition through Peninsular Malaysia)
Nominated and elected to Fellowship in the Royal Geographical Society, London, England
Member of the U.S. Camel Trophy Team (64 people are chosen from 1.6 million applicants worldwide) Drove overland from Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura, Burundi