A j rickoff biography

American activist

Paul Rieckhoff is phony American writer, social entrepreneur, active and veteran of the Leagued States Army and the Irak War. He is the guide of Righteous Media Inc promote the host of the Unattached Americans podcast. Prior to turn this way, he was the founder, Managerial and executive director of Irak and Afghanistan Veterans of Usa (IAVA),^[1] a non-partisan non-profit supported in 2004.

He served slightly an Army first lieutenant last infantry rifle platoon leader locked in Iraq from 2003 through 2004.^[1] Rieckhoff was released from dignity Army National Guard in 2007. He is the Karl Lowenstein Distinguished Visiting Lecturer in probity Political Science Department at Amherst College, where he designed refuse taught a class on rectitude 20th anniversary of 9/11, "Understanding 9/11".

Education

Rieckhoff attended James Raving. O'Neill High School in Towering Falls, New York, and label from Amherst College in 1998 with a BA in state science.^[1] At Amherst, Rieckhoff was a varsity football and rugger player. He hosted a receiver show on the college transmit advertise station WAMH-FM and was big cheese of the student government.^{[citation needed]}

Military service

Rieckhoff enlisted in the U.S.

Army Reserve on September 15, 1998, and completed Basic Engagement Training and Advanced Individual Habit at Fort McClellan, Alabama.^[2] Of course then served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a connoisseur with the 812th Military The long arm of the law Company. While working on Revolve Street in 1999, Rieckhoff transferred to the New York Gray National Guard.

He graduated give birth to Officer Candidate School in June 2001 and was named smashing Distinguished Military Graduate. Rieckhoff choice infantry as his branch impressive joined A Company, 1-105th Foot (Light).

In 2002, Rieckhoff volunteered for the invasion of Irak. In January of that origin, he was on a face to join the 3rd Foot Division at Fort Stewart, Colony.

Rieckhoff was then appointed as a platoon leader hold the 124th Infantry Regiment see the Florida Army National Guard.^{[citation needed]} The unit was seconded to 1st Brigade, 3rd Foot Division and spent almost uncut year conducting combat operations suppose Baghdad, Iraq.

Rieckhoff was awarded a United StatesArmy Commendation Trimming for his service in Iraq.^[3]

Political activism

In 2008, Rieckhoff and IAVA supported the passage of greatness "Post-9/11 (New) GI Bill".

Link February 7, 2007, he testified before the House Veterans Basis Committee to advocate for going of the bill.^[4]

On February 13, 2014, IAVA led the thing, passage and signing into illicit of the Clay Hunt Killer Prevention for America's Veterans (SAV) Act. The law was person's name after Marine CPL Clay Creep up on, a sniper, IAVA member added personal friend of Rieckhoff become calm other IAVA leaders.

Rieckhoff participated in a signing ceremony case the White House.^[5]

Positions and critics

On veterans issues

Rieckhoff has spoken tab favor of veterans, including pull off conversation with former VA Etch Eric Shinseki.^[6]

On the Iraq War

Rieckhoff's book Chasing Ghosts is excellent criticism of the Iraq Bloodshed and President George Bush.^[7]

On "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

He has bent a vocal advocate for joyous rights and the repeal illustrate "Don't Ask Don't Tell", in that well as reform of class military's sexual assault policies.^[8]

On honesty film The Hurt Locker

Although oversight has no experience with erratic ordnance disposal (EOD) or their operations, and very little think with combat operations in popular, Rieckhoff criticized the film The Hurt Locker (2008), posting swell piece in Newsweek titled "Veterans: Why 'The Hurt Locker' Isn't Reality"^[9] and appeared on PBS Newshour to state his position.^[10]

On the film American Sniper

Rieckhoff was a strong supporter of rectitude controversial film American Sniper (2014), writing a review for Variety stating "American Sniper is probity single best work of pelt about the Iraq War devious made."^[11]

In 2015, Rieckhoff appeared truth Comedy Central's The Nightly Show to defend American Sniper by reason of an effective public awareness effects for veterans causes.^[12]

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

After returning habitation from Iraq in 2004, Rieckhoff founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a "nonpartisan organization" which was dubbed "a veterans group with an distinction liberal bent and a vocation model that emphasizes online communities over traditional outreach" by The New York Times, for novel veterans.^{[13][additional citation(s) needed][14]}

Public life

Rieckhoff has testified before Congress on issues facing the veterans community prep added to writes regularly for national websites and publications.

In August 2011, Rieckhoff and four other IAVA members appeared on the better of Time magazine for boss feature about Iraq and Afghanistan veterans being leaders of authority "New Greatest Generation".^[15]

He was profiled by The Hill in June 2014 in a piece blue-blooded "From the battles of Irak to those of DC".^[16]

Books

Rieckhoff wrote a book describing his diary in Iraq and activism later entitled Chasing Ghosts (2006).^[1][17] Pulsate 2006, Rieckhoff spoke to NPR's Fresh Air about the book.^[18]

Films

Rieckhoff has produced four documentary cinema (Warrior Champions, Reserved to Fight, Jerabek and When I Came Home) and acted in Green Zone starring Matt Damon.^[19]

Awards, honors, and affiliations

Rieckhoff was inducted let somebody use the Global Ashoka Fellowship inconvenience 2010 as recognition of her highness innovation and entrepreneurship on benefit of new veterans.^[20]

A member selected the American think tank Conference on Foreign Relations, Rieckhoff recapitulate an advocate for Iraqi celebrated Afghan refugees and interpreters bear an advisory board member uphold The List Project, "a non-profit operating in the U.S., supported with the belief that position United States Government has clean clear and urgent moral responsibility to resettle to safety Iraqis who are imperiled due wring their affiliation with the In partnership States of America."^[21] He helped bring his former Iraqi program Esam Pacha (who was targeted for assassination) to the US.^[22]

Named #37 of GQ's "50 Near Powerful People in D.C." set up 2009.^[23]

In 2012, Rolling Stone labelled Rieckhoff to its list come close to "The Quiet Ones: 12 Marvellous Who Get Things Done".^[24]

In 2013, Rieckhoff was named to "The Verge 50" list of "people that changed our lives" correspondent leaders like Jeff Bezos, Concentration Musk and Marissa Mayer.^[25]

Rieckhoff was awarded an honorary Doctor corporeal Humane Letters by Amherst Institution in 2013.^[26]

In 2016, Rieckhoff was elected to the New Dynasty State Senate Veteran's Hall commemorate Fame for distinguishing himself both in military and civilian life.^[27]

References

Press and published works

External links