TIME Cover Story Features IAVA Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 18, 2011

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TIME Cover Story Features IAVA Leaders

Five IAVA Members including Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, Board Member Wes Moore Profiled in Joe Klein’s Cover Story, The New Greatest Generation

NEW YORK- Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, celebrated the release of a historic TIME cover story profiling IAVA Member Veterans as the new face of American leadership. Five IAVA Member Veterans, including Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff and Board Member Wes Moore, are featured in TIME’s cover story The New Greatest Generation by columnist Joe Klein about how young war veterans are redefining leadership at home. Read more about the TIME cover story here.

Joe Klein writes in TIME, “The returning veterans are bringing skills that seem to be on the wane in American society, qualities we really need now: crisp decision making, rigor, optimism, entrepreneurial creativity, a larger sense of purpose and real patriotism.”

“This is a historic moment for IAVA and for all Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The TIME cover story proves the potential of a powerful new generation of American leaders. The five of us are humbled to have been chosen to represent our brother and sisters in the veterans community. But we are just the tip of the iceberg. The “Innovation Generation” embodies the diversity, skill and energy of all 2.3 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It shows the entire world that veterans are not a charity, we’re an investment.  We’ve led America in combat overseas, and we’re ready to lead at home,” said IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff. “We are grateful that TIME has recognized the tremendous contribution and potential of this new generation of leaders. As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and Veterans Day on 11/11/11, it’s critical to keep the spotlight on new veterans, their service to our military and the impact they are now making in the political, business and nonprofit spaces. We are living proof that service to country doesn’t end when you take off the uniform. In many ways, we’re just getting started.”

“TIME shapes the national dialogue from the morning shows to dinner tables every week. In 2003, TIME named the American Soldier its iconic “Person of the Year” after the capture of Saddam Hussein. Seeing the leaders from our community return as the face of TIME in a new role is a massive testament to their work ethic, innovation and drive to lead our country,” said IAVA Board Member and MSNBC contributor Wes Moore. “The veterans in this article represent exactly what America needs to rebuild its economy and propel its future: leadership, resilience and commitment to serve.  IAVA applauds TIME for bringing their stories to the forefront of the national conscience. We hope every American picks up a copy at the newsstand this week and continues the discussion at the dinner table.”

After almost 10 years of war, the extraordinary TIME cover story profiles Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are defining the next generation of leadership in politics, business and the social good spaces. They include:

Paul Rieckhoff: Paul is the Founder and Executive Director of IAVA and the critically-acclaimed author of CHASING GHOSTS. As an Iraq veteran and 9/11 first-responder, he is a nationally recognized authority on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a broad range of issues affecting troops, veterans and their families.A former high school football coach and Wall Street analyst, Paul founded IAVA in 2004 soon after returning from Iraq as an Army First Lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader with money from his personal credit card. He has grown the movement to over 200,000 supporters nationwide and is a rising force in the media known for his nonpartisan, no-nonsense approach rallying support for new veterans. He contributes to The New York Times, The Weekly Standard, Newsweek, Huffington Post and Military.com. Named as one of “America’s Best and Brightest” by Esquire and one of GQ’s “50 Most Powerful People in D.C.,” he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Global Ashoka Fellow and TED Fellow. He has been honored with the Common Ground “Celebrating Home Award” and the Generation Engage “Lewis Cullman Civic Engagement Award” for his service and entrepreneurship in the veterans space.

Wes Moore: Wes is an IAVA Board Member, MSNBC contributor, Rhodes Scholar, businessman and best-selling author of THE OTHER WES MOORE.  He grew up the only son of a single mom in inner city Baltimore, graduating from Johns Hopkins University and Oxford and later serving as a paratrooper and Captain in the United States Army.  He served a combat tour of duty in Afghanistan with the 1st Brigade of the 82^nd Airborne Division in 2005–2006. After returning home, Wes worked as Special Assistant to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and veteran leader at Citigroup in New York focusing on global technology and alternative investments. He is a regular contributor to MSNBC’s Morning Joe and a nationally-recognized author­ity on the war in Afghanistan and the rise and ram­i­fi­ca­tions of rad­i­cal Islamism. In 2007, Ebony Magazine named him one of the “Top 30 Leaders Under 30,” and he was honored as one of the “40 Under 40 Rising Stars” by Crain's New York Business.

Liz Young McNally: Liz is a consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York where she advises on health care and financial services sectors as well as the U.S. Government. She spent eight years in the U.S. Army and served two tours in Iraq, including a year as the speechwriter for General David Petraeus, the commander of military forces in Iraq. She graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and received an M.Phil in international relations from Oxford University, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

John Gallina: John is the co-founder of Purple Heart Homes having dedicated his career to building homes in North Carolina when he was just 19 years old. In January 2004, he deployed for his first tour with the North Carolina National Guard. On November 15, 2004 while riding with Dale Beatty their vehicle hit an anti-tank mine resulting in severe head and back injuries. Upon his return to North Carolina, John felt that others before him who had fought in wars also needed to be acknowledged. After helping to build a specially adapted home for Dale, the two teamed up with the common goal of providing help for veterans of all generations - giving them back their freedom from the barriers in their current homes.

Dale Beatty: Dale is the co-founder of Purple Heart Homes. He deployed to Iraq in 2004 where his unit was attached directly to the 1st Infantry Division near Bayji. In November 2004 while on a patrol route with John Gallina he sustained life-changing injuries from an IED explosion. The attack was so severe that it left Dale a double amputee below the knees. In his North Carolina community, he is an advocate for Purple Heart veterans and their families as they navigate the ramifications combat injuries have on everyday life and home. In his spare time, he’s pursuing his love and passion for music as the drummer for “Southern Fried” which recently headlined the Sturgis Motorcycle rally in South Dakota.

To celebrate this historic TIME cover launch and IAVA’s continuing work to support the Innovation Generation, IAVA will host an event at the Time Warner Center this evening (8/18/11) for veterans and supporters in honor of the young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans featured in the article. IAVA Executive Director and Founder Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Board Member Wes Moore, Liz Young McNally and John Gallina will all be in attendance with TIME columnist Joe Klein. The cocktail event sponsored by CNN will be held from 6:00 to 8:00pm at 10 on the Park at the Time Warner Center, 60 Columbus Circle, 10th Floor, New York City. If you are a member of the press who would like to attend and cover the event, please RSVP to Jacqueline Noguera at Jax@iava.org.

If you are a member of the media who wishes to arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Board Member Wes Moore, or another veteran featured on the TIME cover, please contact Isabel Black at (212) 982-9699 or isabel@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 200,000 Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.

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