In addition to his work as CEO of The Punaro Group, Mr. Punaro is an accomplished author. His first two books, On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington’s Beltway and The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force, make invaluable contributions to our national security and the military and warfighter arena. He brings decades of experience to his writing, pairing it with in-depth research and analyses, offering the reader a picture of where we have been and where we are headed. Most importantly, Punaro makes concrete recommendations on much-needed reforms to improve our national security.
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Enter your email to stay up to date with the latest information on the release of Mr. Punaro's latest book, If Confirmed: An Insider’s View of the National Security Confirmation ProcessPRE-ORDER TODAY: If Confirmed: An Insider’s View of the National Security Confirmation Process
If Confirmed: An Insider’s View of the National Security Confirmation Process by Arnold Punaro will be released Spring 2024 and offers an in-depth look at the national security confirmation process from someone who has lived it.
Punaro has advised thousands of people through their own confirmation processes and, having also served as Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is among the foremost experts on the national security confirmation process. His book provides a roadmap on how nominees can be successful in gaining U.S. Senate approval.
The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force
Its capabilities unrivaled and its global reach unmatched, America’s military is the envy of the world. Yet, to those in the know, like retired Marine Major General Arnold Punaro, a former Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, there is compelling need for improvement in its support elements. From the glacial pace of acquisitions to the spiraling growth of the defense agencies to the fully-burdened costs of the All-Volunteer Force, the Department of Defense’s non-warfighting elements are not getting enough bang for the buck. Every recent Secretary of Defense has pushed business-minded reforms as a high priority, citing the need to convert overhead to warfighting capacity.
Despite substantial increases in defense spending over the last decades, the number of warfighters is still declining. The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force lays out, in clear and compelling detail, the major factors that contribute to this adverse trend that has outlasted efforts to reverse it by strong Defense Secretaries and even Presidents.
Drawing on his half-century of experience in national security, Gen. Punaro offers a no-nonsense look at the inefficiencies that have plagued the Pentagon’s creeping bureaucracy for decades. With calls for defense reform emanating from both the executive and legislative branches, this timely book provides a road map for thoughtful and balanced improvements.
On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington’s Beltway
Arnold Punaro is the ultimate Washington insider. During his 35 years of service in the Marine Corps, both active and reserve, he rose to the rank of Major General. After being wounded in battle and decorated for valor in Vietnam, he redeployed to a different battlefield: Washington politics.
For almost fifty years, he has toiled at the intersection of the political and defense establishment, has served in key positions in the Pentagon, Congress and industry and has been a key participant in all the major defense and intelligence legislation of this era.
Punaro’s distinguished career of public service has given him an unrivaled perspective on the events and factors that have shaped defense policy, along with a clear vision on how to solve the tough, pressing challenges facing our nation today.
