Event Report: Paul Rieckhoff at the University Book Store, 5/17/2006

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. He's been getting a lot of press/media appearances lately as part of the launch of his book Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight For America From Baghdad to Washington.

He appeared on The Colbert Report last week and, I thought, made a good showing. This week he's hit the Al Franken Show, Diane Rehm Show, Hardball, etc., etc. Seems like he's been hitting the road hard. He's even got a website for the book, and an up-to-date blog about his tour, which I will check out tomorrow to see the event from his point of view.

There was a pretty good turn-out at the UBS, more than thirty people? He talked a little bit about the IAVA and his war experiences, told some funny war stories, and read a couple passages. Interspersed: pointed political comments which provoked murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

He's a huge guy, over six feet tall and maybe 280 lbs of solid muscle. Young. Shaved head and a chin that you could crack nuts on. Very impressive physically and mentally.



A Crappy Drawing (tm) of Paul Rieckhoff at the University Bookstore.