Arnold Punaro is chief executive officer of The Punaro Group, LLC, a Washington-based firm he founded in 2010 specializing 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. He consults for a broad array of Fortune 100 companies and has been recognized by Defense News as one of the 100 most influential individuals in U.S. Defense. He also leads Punaro Capital, LLC, a firm specializing in national security investments, and Punaro Press, LLC, a company that specializes in national security publications.
In November 2015, Mr. Punaro completed a four-year term, first as Vice-Chairman, then as Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, the country’s largest defense industry association with over 1,600 corporate and nearly 70,000 individual members. As NDIA Chairman Emeritus, he served as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee from 2015 to 2018. He began a new two-year term as Vice-Chairman in October 2018 and another two-year term as Chairman beginning in October 2020.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Puraro has served in many distinguished positions in DOD policy boards, commissions and in public companies. His service includes: Various Sr. roles including Vice-Chairman, then as Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association (2011-2020); Vice Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board (2011-present), Member of the Defense Business Board (2002-2013, 2015 to present), Chairman of the Independent Commission on the National Guard and Reserves (2005-2008), a task force member for the U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security (2008), a Commissioner on the Independent Commission on the Iraqi Security Force (2007), Deputy Executive Director of the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century (1998 to 2001), and Chairman of the Defense Reform Task Force for Secretary of Defense William Cohen (1997), and Executive Vice President at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) from 1997 to 2010 as a sector manager, deputy president of the Federal Business Segment, and led SAIC’s Corporate Business Development organization.
From 1973 to 1997, Mr. Punaro worked for Senator Sam Nunn in national security matters. He served as his director of National Security Affairs and then as Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee (eight years) and Staff Director for the Minority (five years). 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, the oversight and review of all policy and programs, and civilian and military nominations.
A retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, he served as the Director of the Marine Corps Reserve, Deputy Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (Mobilization), and for three years as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division. Other assignments were Commanding General, Marine Corps Mobilization Command, and Deputy Commander, Marine Forces Reserve. 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 mobilized for a third time in May 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served on active duty as an Infantry Platoon Commander in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor and the Purple Heart.
Mr. Punaro is the recipient of numerous recognitions and awards including the Secretary of Defense “Medal for Distinguished Public Service” and two awards of the Secretary of Defense “Medal for Exceptional Public Service.” He’s been recognized through numerous other awards from the Marine Corps League, Air Force Association, National Guard, Army, Secretary of the Army, Reserve Officer Association, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, CAUSE, NDIA, and SAIC as well as the Distinguished Service Medal as well as numerous civic awards.
He has a Masters of Arts degree from the University of Georgia and a Masters of Arts degree from Georgetown University, the latter in national security studies. He was on the Adjunct Faculty of the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University for ten years where he taught an annual graduate level course entitled “National Security Decision Making.”
He 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. He is completing his second book, The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force, which will be published in 2021.