@paulrieckhoff
Paul Rieckhoff is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), America’s first and largest organization for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. A nonpartisan, non-profit founded in 2004 with over 200,000 members and supporters in all 50 states, IAVA’s mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and their families in four critical impact areas: health, education, employment and community building.Paul Rieckhoff was among the first responders to the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. From 2003 to 2004, he served as an Army First Lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader in Iraq. A nationally recognized authority on the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and a broad range of issues affecting troops, veterans and their families, he has appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs including Meeting the Press, The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, State of the Union on CNN, FOX News, MSNBC's Morning Joe, NPR's All Things Considered and NBC Nightly News. Most recently, Rieckhoff was in Rolling Stone’s List of 12 Leaders Who Get Things Done. In addition in August 2011, along with four IAVA members, Rieckhoff was featured on the cover of TIME magazine.Named one of GQ’s “50 Most Powerful People in D.C.” in 2009, Rieckhoff has been honored with the Common Ground “Celebrating Home Award” and the Generation Engage “Lewis Cullman Civic Engagement Award” for his leadership in the service community. In 2004, he was honored by Esquire magazine as one of “America’s Best and Brightest.” Rieckhoff is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and also serves on the New York State Council on Returning Veterans and their Families. In 2010, he was inducted into the Global Ashoka Fellowship in recognition of his innovation and entrepreneurship on behalf of new veterans. Rieckhoff is a Hunt Prime Mover Fellow, a TED member and an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar.Rieckhoff’s book, Chasing Ghosts, a critically acclaimed account of his experiences in Iraq and advocacy on behalf of veterans, was published by Penguin in May 2006. In addition, Rieckhoff frequently contributes to Huffington Post, Fortune, and The New York Times. A graduate of Amherst College, Rieckhoff currently resides in New York City.