Paul Rieckhoff

Paul Rieckhoff
Founder
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Paul Rieckhoff is building a movement to permanently alter the way Americans view foreign policy, war, and the plight of veterans. When he returned to America in 2004 after serving in the US Army for over a year in Iraq, he didn’t like what he saw. “I was outraged by the direction of the country, and the way veterans were treated upon their return to the United States. I saw a country that did not understand the war, the military, and the plight of veterans. And I wanted to change it.” As a lieutenant in the war in Iraq, Paul felt a sense of responsibility for the 38 soldiers under his command. He saw men return from the war with unimaginable injuries, both physical and psychological, some dealing with marital problems or homelessness after an extended absence from their family and friends. Following in the footsteps of veterans’ groups, who used their first-hand experience to protest the war in Vietnam, Paul is one of the leaders in the “new veterans’ movement” engaging veterans in the fight for broad military reforms designed to directly benefit troops and their families. Paul founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an organization that would amplify the voices of veterans from these recent and ongoing wars. Under his leadership, IAVA has become the nation’s largest organization focused on supporting veterans. Paul has developed a grassroots network of over 55,000 supporters who assist and advocate for the organization’s 600,000 members throughout the United States.

Paul enlisted in the US Army Reserves in 1998 after graduating from Amherst College, completing military training in between working on Wall Street at J.P. Morgan. On September 11, 2001, he joined thousands of volunteers at Ground Zero to assist with recovery efforts and, less than two years later, flew to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is now a featured blogger on the Huffington Post and appears frequently as a commentator and war expert for media outlets such as 60 Minutes, ABC News, CNN, and MSNBC. His memoir, Chasing Ghosts, was published in 2006. Paul continues to serve as a First Lieutenant in the New York Army National Guard.

Paul Rieckhoff's columns on The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-rieckhoff

For more on Paul Rieckhoff:
The President Talked About Vets at the DAV. I'll Bet You Didn't Read About That.
By Paul Rieckhoff, TPM
August 3, 2010

New rules on post-traumatic stress benefits aid US vets
BBC
July 12, 2010

Female Veterans Struggle To Stay Off Streets
By Gloria Hillard, NPR
July 11, 2010

President Obama Will Skip Memorial Day Visit to Arlington National Cemetery
By Ann E. Kornblut and Ed O'Keefe, Washington Post
May 28, 2010

Avatar Teaches Social Workers How to Talk With Iraq and Afghanistan Vets
by Lydia Dishman, Fast Company
May 17, 2010

Microsoft Invites Organizations to Help Prepare U.S. Veterans for Jobs
Market Watch
May 4, 2010

Group Spotlights Challenges Amid Push for Reform
The Arizona Republic
April 26, 2010

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