Paula Broadwell

Paula Broadwell (née Kranz; born November 9, 1972) is an American author, academic, and former U.S. Army Reserve lieutenant colonel specializing in military intelligence, most notably recognized for co-authoring the biography All In: The Education of General David Petraeus and for engaging in an extramarital affair with Petraeus that precipitated his resignation as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in November 2012. Broadwell graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1995 as a physical training leader and All-Army champion athlete, served on active duty until 2000 with deployments including to the United Arab Emirates and Germany, then transferred to the reserves where she worked on counterterrorism at U.S. Special Operations Command and the FBI. She earned a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and pursued a Ph.D. in war studies at King's College London, focusing her dissertation on Petraeus's leadership strategies in counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 2012 publication of All In , co-authored with Vernon Loeb, chronicled Petraeus's career ascent and doctrinal innovations, drawing on Broadwell's extensive access and interviews during her research embedded with U.S. forces. The affair surfaced amid an FBI probe into threatening emails sent to a social liaison, exposing thousands of intimate messages between Broadwell and Petraeus, which Petraeus disclosed to avoid compromising national security amid the Benghazi aftermath. Subsequent investigations revealed classified documents on Broadwell's computer, including eight binders of sensitive materials, though federal probes concluded without charges against her, citing insufficient evidence of mishandling intent.

Paula Broadwell was born Paula Dean Kranz on November 9, 1972, in Bismarck, North Dakota , where she spent her formative years in a Midwestern environment emphasizing self-reliance and community involvement. Her childhood included participation in school activities such as playing the violin in the orchestra and portraying an elf in the Christmas pageant, reflecting an early engagement with arts and performance. However, this period was also shaped by her parents' fractious divorce , a prolonged dispute over finances that lasted a decade and introduced elements of family instability.

At Century High School in Bismarck, Broadwell demonstrated exceptional academic and leadership prowess, graduating as valedictorian in 1991 while also being crowned homecoming queen and serving as student council president. Classmates and peers recalled her as a hardworking leader who inspired others through her roles in academics, athletics—where she stood out as a sports participant—and extracurriculars. These achievements underscored her competitive nature and resilience, traits reinforced by the regional emphasis on diligence and personal accountability .

Broadwell's early interests in fitness and public service emerged through her involvement in sports and community-oriented roles, foreshadowing a drive for physical discipline and civic contribution. The outbreak of the First Gulf War during her senior year heightened her patriotic inclinations, motivating initial considerations of military service as a path to national contribution. This blend of personal accomplishments and external influences cultivated an ambitious outlook geared toward high-stakes endeavors.

Paula Broadwell entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1991 as part of the Class of 1995. At the time, women comprised approximately 13 percent of the graduating class of 1,015 cadets, reflecting a still male-dominated environment despite coeducation having been established since 1976. Broadwell majored in systems engineering and political geography , fields that aligned with analytical and strategic military applications.