Arnold L. Punaro

Executive Vice President

Arnold Punaro is executive vice president at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). He is the senior corporate official responsible for SAIC's government affairs, communications, support operations and general manager of Washington operations. He also supervises SAIC's corporate Small and Disadvantaged Business office. In previous SAIC positions, he served as a sector manager, deputy president of the Federal Business Segment, and supervised SAIC's Corporate Business Development organization. He joined SAIC in March, 1997 and works in their McLean, Virginia office.

He serves as a member of Secretary of Defense Gate’s Defense Business Board and as a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. He serves on the Boards of the Atlantic Council and the National Defense Industrial Association. In January 2005, he was named to chair the statutory Commission on the National Guard and Reserves established by public law 108-375. The Commission has submitted two reports with a final report due January 2008. In 1997, he chaired The Defense Reform Task Force for Secretary of Defense William Cohen supporting the Secretary’s Defense Reform Initiative. He served as Deputy Executive Director of the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century (1998-2001). He also served as a Commissioner on the Statutory Independent Commission on the Iraqi Security Forces which submitted their assessment to Congress on September 6, 2007.

From 1973 to 1997, he 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 (8 years) and Staff Director for the Minority (5 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 and the oversight and review of all major defense and intelligence activities for over two decades.

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 Decisionmaking."

He is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General. He served as the Director of the Marine Corps Reserve from May 2001 to October 2003, as Deputy Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (Mobilization) from August 2000 to May 2001. From 1997 to 2000, he served as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. His previous assignments as a general officer were Commanding General, Marine Corps Mobilization Command, Kansas City, Missouri, and Deputy Commander, Marine Forces Reserve. He served on active duty as an Infantry Platoon Commander in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor and Purple Heart. In December 1990, he served in Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia. In December 1993, he completed a tour of extended 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 has received numerous recognitions. In August 1993, he received the Marine Corps League's "Iron Mike" Award for "exceptionally outstanding service" and "unwavering commitment" for over 20 years to "insuring a strong national defense." He has received the Air Force Association's "Exceptional Service Award," the National Guard "Minuteman Award" and in 2002 was the co-recipient of SAIC's "Founders Award." He has over 20 military awards and decorations to include the Distinguished Service Medal.