Brandon Friedman

Infobox_Celebrity
name = Brandon Friedman


caption = Brandon Friedman
birth_date = Birth date and age|1978|03|16
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place = |
occupation = author, Vice Chairman, VoteVets.org
salary =
networth =
website = [http://brandonrfriedman.com BrandonRFriedman.com] , [http://www.votevets.org VoteVets.org]

Brandon Friedman (born March 16, 1978) is the author of "The War I Always Wanted: The Illusion of Glory and the Reality of War", and has served since 2007 as the Vice Chairman of VoteVets.org--a 95,000-member organization dedicated to getting veterans elected to public office. [ [http://www.votevets.org/about?id=0004#brandon VoteVets.org | About ] ]

Education and Military Background

Friedman served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq. In March 2002, he led a rifle platoon into Afghanistan's Shah-e-Kot Valley in order to engage Taliban and al Qaeda fighters as part of Operation Anaconda--a battle later written about by award-winning journalist Sean Naylor in "Not a Good Day to Die". A year later, Friedman commanded a heavy weapons platoon during the invasion of Iraq. He led troops during combat operations in Hillah, Baghdad, and Tal Afar. Friedman eventually left active duty in 2004 after having spent the latter portion of his Iraq tour as an executive officer managing troop movements, security issues, and logistics throughout northern Iraq as the insurgency intensified. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for his service in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Friedman holds a B.A. in History from Louisiana State University in Shreveport (2000) and received an M.P.A. in Public Affairs from the School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas (2006). He is currently a Captain in the Individual Ready Reserve. [ [http://www.brandonrfriedman.com/about_the_author Brandon Friedman The War I Always Wanted - Untitled ] ]

In the Media

Friedman has been interviewed by ABC News [ [http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/fore-more-years.html Political Punch ] ] , the Associated Press [ [http://www.fayobserver.com/article_ap?id=121415 FayObserver.com - AP Article Page ] ] , McClatchy [ [http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/33077.html McClatchy Washington Bureau | 04/08/2008 | Pentagon tells lawmaker not to air Green Zone video again ] ] , Bloomberg [ [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a9lDtrJGGVyg&refer=home Bloomberg.com: Politics ] ] , The Guardian [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/15/georgebush.usa Bush's golf claim angers veterans | World news | The Guardian ] ] , The Daily Telegraph [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1955754/President-George-W-Bush's-golf-sacrifice-is-an--'insult-to-all-Americans',-say-veterans.html President George W Bush's golf sacrifice is an 'insult to all Americans', say veterans - Telegraph ] ] The Military Times [ [http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/05/military_va_adjustmentdisorder_051508w/ VA e-mail: Save money, do not diagnose PTSD - Air Force News, news from Iraq - Air Force Times ] ] , and other news organizations. He has also appeared on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN, as well as on numerous radio stations across the country. Friedman's writing has been featured on a wide range of new media outlets to include the UK's "Guardian Unlimited", [ [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/brandon_friedman/2007/09/paying_with_their_lives.html Paying with their lives | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk ] ] "The Huffington Post" [ [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brandon-friedman/ Brandon Friedman ] ] , "Daily Kos" [ [http://brandon-friedman.dailykos.com Daily Kos :: Diaries ] ] , and, most recently, as the Editor of "VetVoice" [ [http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=14 VetVoice:: About ] ] --a blog on politics and the military which was “officially” launched on November 20, 2007 with posts from seven presidential candidates welcoming troops and veterans to the site. [ [http://rawstory.com/news/2007/GOP_frontrunners_turn_down_opportunity_to_1120.html The Raw Story | GOP front-runners turn down opportunity to blog for vets ] ] .

Friedman lives in Dallas, Texas.

Book

*"The War I Always Wanted: The Illusion of Glory and the Reality of War: A Screaming Eagle in Afghanistan and Iraq" (Zenith Press, 2007) ISBN 0760331502

Reviews of "The War I Always Wanted"
* [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6454265.html "Publishers Weekly", 25 June 2007]
* [http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/books/stories/DN-bk_wariwanted_0909gl.ART.State.Bulldog.420a2c7.html "Dallas Morning News", 9 September 2007]
* [http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/booksmags/bal-id.bk.war21oct21,0,3983024.story "Baltimore Sun", 21 October 2007]
* [http://www.armytimes.com/entertainment/books/military_books_wariwanted_071026/ "Military Times", 26 October 2007]
* [http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/NEWS01/710260339/1002/NEWS "Shreveport Times", 26 October 2007]
* [http://www.al.com/books/mobileregister/jsledge.ssf?/base/entertainment/1199182556267330.xml&coll=3 "Mobile Press-Register", 1 January 2008]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBZ/is_1_88/ai_n25398249 "Military Review", January-February 2008]

Media appearances

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIHZQwc7Mxw Friedman Delivers National Democratic Radio Address, 14 July 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCrOWn0qT4c "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" interview, 16 August 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MoAXgLL6QE "MSNBC's Super Tuesday" with David Shuster, 4 September 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubl0Ct2QTfc "CNN's "This Week at War", 8 September 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpaUi_IOU5U "MSNBC Live" with Tamron Hall, 3 October 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DShxBn7EVm8 "MSNBC Live" with Norah O'Donnell, 3 October 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk5vk-XfPkk "MSNBC Live" debate with Joe Watkins, 3 October 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UBYbWDGl0w "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" interview, 5 October 2007]
* [http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=8896&SectionName=&PlayMedia=No C-SPAN2's BookTV with Marcus Luttrell and Jim Hornfischer, 3 November 2007]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf6q3NWb1Wc "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" interview, 11 June 2008]
* [http://blip.tv/file/1095721/ Friedman introduces General Wesley K. Clark (Ret.) at Netroots Nation, 17 July 2008]

External links

* [http://www.brandonrfriedman.com/home "The War I Always Wanted" Web Site]
* [http://www.votevets.org/ VoteVets.org Web Site]
* [http://www.vetvoice.com VetVoice Blog]

References