Media
TODAY at 1:45 PM in D.C.: IAVA Veterans Take Questions to VA Secretary Nominee, Congress
WASHINGTON, DC (February 1, 2017) — Today at 1:45 PM, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Founder and CEO Paul Rieckhoff and Chief of Staff Allison Jaslow will be joined by IAVA members to ensure that President Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) addresses the concerns of the Post-9/11 generation of veterans. IAVA will have in hand the questions submitted by our world-wide membership to take to Congress ahead of the confirmation hearing for Secretary of VA, Dr. David Shulkin, in Washington D.C.
WHAT: Media Availability to discuss questions and priorities of the Post-9/11 generation of veterans for the new Secretary of VA.
WHO: IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Chief of Staff Allison Jaslow, IAVA veteran members
WHEN: Today, Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 1:45 PM ET
WHERE: 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The hearing can be streamed live here.
Note to media: Please email press@iava.org to RSVP for the availability or if additional accommodations might be necessary for an interview around the hearing.
Paul Rieckhoff is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the leading voice for post-9/11 veterans and their families. As a non-profit founded in 2004, IAVA’s mission is to connect, unite and empower post-9/11 veterans. Rieckhoff is a staunch political independent and IAVA is a non-partisan organization not affiliated with a political party or candidate.
On September 11th, Rieckhoff’s National Guard unit was formally activated for rescue and security operations. Later, Rieckhoff served as Platoon Leader for 3rd Platoon, B Company, 3/124th INF (Air Assault) FLNG, attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and spent almost a year conducting combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. Rieckhoff was released from active duty in March 2004 and the National Guard in 2007.
A 1998 graduate of Amherst College, Rieckhoff currently resides in New York City. His 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.
Rieckhoff is a widely sought after voice on veterans issues in the media. His recent appearances include: NBC’s “Nightly News,” CBS’s “The Early Show,” PBS’s “Tavis Smiley,” “The Charlie Rose Show,” “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports”, Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist and numerous NPR programs. He has contributed to the New York Times, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Newsweek and The Hill.
As Chief of Staff, Allison Jaslow oversees management, operations, administration, and all internal functions at IAVA. Allison is two-tour Iraq War veteran. She is a former Army Captain who served two combat deployments in Iraq and has a diversity of experience that includes stints on political campaigns across the country, in the White House and on both sides of Capitol Hill. She recently served as Chief of Staff and Campaign Manager for Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and was also Press Secretary for Senator Jim Webb where she was involved in efforts to protect the legacy of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Jaslow has been featured on MSNBC, The Washington Post, and has contributed to the Pregame Magazine Podcast and other veteran and military media outlets.