Paul Rieckoff

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)

About This Expert

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, nonprofit founded in 2004 with over 150,000 members in all 50 states, IAVA’s mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families.

From 2003 to 2004, Rieckhoff 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, Rieckhoff has appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs. His recent appearances include: NBC’s “Nightly News,” ABC’s “World News With Charles Gibson,” CBS’s “The Early Show” and “Dr. Phil Show,” PBS’s “Tavis Smiley,” “The Charlie Rose Show,” and “ NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” and numerous NPR programs.

He contributes regularly to the New York Times, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, USA Today,Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, andNewsweek, and is a regular blogger for The Huffington Post, Military.com, and Scoop 44.

Rieckhoff was recently inducted into the Global Ashoka Fellowship in recognition of his innovation and entrepreneurship on behalf of new veterans.

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. A native of New York, he serves on the New York State Council on Returning Veterans and their Families.

Rieckhoff’s first 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 and released in paperback in May 2007.