Arnold L Punaro

Early life and education

Punaro was born in Augusta, Georgia on August 10, 1946. He is the son of Maria Annina (nee Benedetto) and Angelo Joseph Punaro, a decorated Army veteran for his service during World War II. His father and mother were 2nd generation Americans whose parents immigrated from Italy.

Punaro was raised in Macon, Georgia. He attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School from first grade through eighth grade. He graduated from Mount De Sales Catholic High School in 1964.

Punaro attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama where he obtained his undergraduate degree in English in 1968. He earned his Master of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia in 1976 and Master of Arts degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University in 1979. Punaro later served as an Adjunct Professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University for ten years (from 1990–2000) where he taught an annual graduate level course entitled "National Security Decision Making.”

In 2011 Punaro was inducted as a Grady College Fellow of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. He currently serves on the non-profit board of the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs. He also serves on Syracuse University's Maxwell School Advisory Board and Georgia Tech's Nunn School Advisory Board.

Military career

After graduating from Spring Hill College in 1968, Punaro volunteered for military service in the United States Marine Corps. In January 1969, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He served on active duty as an infantry platoon commander in Vietnam from August 1969 to January 1970 where he was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart. Upon returning from Vietnam, he served on the staff at The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia. Punaro completed his active duty obligation in 1972 and subsequently joined the Marine Corps Reserves where he served until October 1, 2003.

In December 1990, he was mobilized for Operation Desert Shield. In December 1993, he completed a tour of active duty as Commander of Joint Task Force Provide Promise (Forward) in the former Yugoslavia. He was then promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, and his first assignment was Deputy Commander of the U.S. Marine Reserve Forces, today known as the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR). His next assignment was Commanding General of the Marine Corps Mobilization Command (MCRSC) from 1995–1997. In this position, he designed what would later become the Marine for Life Program, a program that connects transitioning Marines and their family members to education resources, employment opportunities, and other veteran services.

From August 1997 until August 2000, Punaro served as Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division. Under his command, the 4th Division achieved the highest level of combat readiness – a significant accomplishment for a reserve division. Following the division command, he served as the Deputy Commanding General (Mobilization) of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (in 2000). In 2001, Punaro assumed a 2-star active-duty billet at Headquarters Marine Corps as Director of Reserve Affairs. In this capacity, post 9-11, he was involved in the largest mobilization of the Marine Corps Reserves in its history. Punaro was mobilized in May 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Punaro retired as a Major General in October 2003 after 35 years of military service.

Senate career

From 1973 to 1997, Punaro worked for Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA) on national security matters. He served as his Director of National Security Affairs and then as Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee (1987–95) and Staff Director for the Minority (1983–87, 1995–97). In his work with Senator Nunn and the Senate Armed Services Committee, he was involved in the formulation of all major defense and intelligence legislation including the beginnings of the All- Volunteer Force, the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization, the Packard Commission Acquisition Reforms, the creation of the Special Operations Command, the draw-down after the Cold War, the first Gulf War, gays in the military, and expanding billets for women. He was directly involved with the confirmation process for secretaries of defense, chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and service chiefs, hundreds of civilian nominations, and tens of thousands of military nominations. Punaro was consistently named by Roll Call as One of the Top 50 Staffers in the Congress.

Business

Punaro served as a Senior Vice President and then Executive Vice President at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) from 1997 to May 2010, at that time a 10 billion dollar defense and aerospace company. He served as a Sector Manager, Deputy President of the Federal Business Segment and led SAIC's Corporate Business Development Organization. He was the Senior Corporate Official responsible for SAIC's government affairs, worldwide communications and support operations, as well as General Manager of their Washington Operations and Supervisor of SAIC's Corporate Small and Disadvantaged Business Office. Punaro was part of the team that took SAIC public in October 2006. Punaro was recognized for his leadership and accomplishments at SAIC with the Founder’s Award and two special CEO awards. He also served an eight-year tenure as a member of the Board of Directors for Sourcefire, a cyber-security company that he helped take public. Sourcefire was sold to Cisco Systems for 2.7 billion dollars in 2013.

Punaro retired from SAIC in 2010 to start his own consulting business, The Punaro Group (TPG), a Washington-based firm that specializes in federal budget and market analysis, business strategy and capture, acquisition due diligence, government relations, communications, sensitive operations, business risk analysis and compliance, and crisis management. In 2013 Punaro and his oldest son formed IronArch Technology, a firm providing next generation IT and business transformation solutions as well as consulting and advisory services. The Washington Business Journal named IronArch “One of the Best Places to Work” in 2016. In 2014 Punaro was named to Wash100, the premier group of leaders who create value and execute strategic vision at the intersection of the public and private sector.

Media

Punaro has appeared many times as a defense policy expert on numerous radio and television shows, such as Hardball, CNN, C-SPAN, NPR, Major Network News, and Federal News Radio. He is quoted in print media and is the subject of articles discussing defense.

Punaro is the author of the book, On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington's Beltway, that was published by the Naval Institute Press in October 2016.