Cambridge Conversation with Paul Rieckhoff

Please join Hunt Alternatives' Prime Movers Program

for a cocktail reception and a Cambridge Conversation:

"Opportunity From Crisis:

Challenges, Opportunities & Looking Forward

with Post-9/11 Veterans"

with

Paul Rieckhoff

Thursday, July 24, 2014

6:00Pm-8:00pm

More about this event:

Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), will lead us in a discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing today’s veterans’ community, turning the corner on decades of failures at the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and how America can, and must, answer the call to support this new generation of veterans.

After decades of neglect, years of failure, and months of controversy, Americans are talking about veterans’ issues like never before. The scandals that led to the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and ongoing reports of deliberate misconduct underscore the need for movement leaders like Paul Rieckhoff, organizations like IAVA, and people like you to take action. Though trust with the VA has been broken, it can be rebuilt. Through our collective leadership, creativity, and tenacity, the VA can be stronger. Ranging from suicide to mental health to employment and much more, the time is now to join and support the new veterans’ movement.

168 Brattle Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts

(one mile west of Harvard Square, on-street parking available)

Please register by Wednesday, July 23

Please note each attendee must register individually.

For questions, please contact Christina 617.995.1957 or

PrimeMovers@huntalternatives.org

Paul Rieckhoff founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), America’s first and largest organization for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in 2004. A nonpartisan nonprofit with over 240,000 members in all 50 states, IAVA’s mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. Called "the most important organization representing the new generation of veterans" by Time magazine, IAVA is world-renown as the leading veterans service organization for this generation of veterans.

Rieckhoff enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1998 and completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He then served in the U.S. Army Reserves, as a Specialist with the 812th Military Police Company. While working on Wall Street at J.P. Morgan in 1999, Rieckhoff transferred to the New York Army National Guard, graduating from Officer Candidate School in June 2001 where he was named a Distinguished Military Graduate. Rieckhoff selected infantry as his branch and joined A Company, 1/105th INF (Light).

Rieckhoff left Wall Street on September 7, 2001 with plans to travel and complete additional military schooling. Those plans would change dramatically when on the morning of September 11, when he heard the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Seeing the smoke from his rooftop, Rieckhoff immediately joined scores of volunteers serving in the rescue effort at Ground Zero. His National Guard unit was formally activated for rescue and security operations later that evening.

In February 2002, Rieckhoff began Infantry Officers Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, graduating in June of 2002. In January 2003, Rieckhoff volunteered to deploy to Iraq. Two days later, he joined the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia where he was assigned as a Platoon Leader for 3rd Platoon, B Company, 3/124th INF (Air Assault) FLNG.

The unit was attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and spent almost a year conducting combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. Third Platoon conducted over 1,000 dismounted and mounted combat patrols. All thirty-eight of the men in Rieckhoff's platoon returned home alive.

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, ranging from "Meet the Press" to "Charlie Rose" to "The Colbert Report" and "The Kelly File." 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 and Military.com.

Rieckhoff was also 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.