About Paul Rieckhoff

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director and Founder 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 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, and Newsweek, and is a regular blogger for The Huffington Post, Military.com, and Scoop 44.

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