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On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington's Beltway
After being wounded and awarded the Bronze Star for valor as a Marine infantry platoon commander in Vietnam, Arnold Punaro thought he'd left the battlefield behind. Instead, he redeployed onto the battlefield of Washington politics. For almost fifty years, he's toiled at the intersection of the political and defense establishments, working with such luminaries as Sam Nunn, John Glenn, John McCain, Colin Powell, Robert Gates, Ash Carter, and many others. Today Democrats, Republicans, and career public officials agree on one few individuals possess the military experience, governmental expertise, and personal integrity of Arnold Punaro. Partnered with best-selling writer David Poyer, Punaro offers revelations about the most contentious issues of the past and sage advice for the future. From his military service, to his role formulating and overseeing all major defense and intelligence legislation, Punaro reveals how decisions are really made inside the Beltway, providing insights into the actions of presidents since Jimmy Carter and Secretaries of Defense back to James Schlesinger. Unsparing in his criticisms of both parties, whose partisanship is leading our country over a precipice, Punaro presents radical proposals for much-needed reform to save the country for which so many have given their lives.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2016
6 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Arnold L. Punaro
1 book13 followersArnold 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 is the Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, the Secretary of Defense’s independent advisor on reserve and National Guard matters. He served as Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, the country’s largest defense industry association with over 1,600 corporate and 91,000 individual members. A member of the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, he previously served as executive vice president at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and as Senator Sam Nunn’s Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee for 14 years. A retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, he served as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division. 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. He has Masters of Arts degrees from both the University of Georgia and Georgetown University and serves on the boards of the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Government, and Georgia Tech’s School of International Affairs. He is a member of the Advisory Board at the Center for New American Security, a visiting scholar at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is the author of the forthcoming book, On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington’s Beltway, that will be published by the Naval Institute Press in October 2016.
He is the Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, the Secretary of Defense’s independent advisor on reserve and National Guard matters. He served as Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, the country’s largest defense industry association with over 1,600 corporate and 91,000 individual members. A member of the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, he previously served as executive vice president at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and as Senator Sam Nunn’s Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee for 14 years. A retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, he served as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division. 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. He has Masters of Arts degrees from both the University of Georgia and Georgetown University and serves on the boards of the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Government, and Georgia Tech’s School of International Affairs. He is a member of the Advisory Board at the Center for New American Security, a visiting scholar at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is the author of the forthcoming book, On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington’s Beltway, that will be published by the Naval Institute Press in October 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 12, 2020
Very interesting book, If I wasn't so interested in policy and the inner workings of the senate etc I wouldn't have finished this book but because I am I finished it. To me it was very interesting.
October 21, 2016
‘Every man must now put on his flak jacket, zip it up, for the “incoming” will soon be targeting down on us!’
MajGen ARNOLD L. PUNARO, USMC (RET.), served thirty-five years in uniform, both active and reserve. He spent twenty-four years in the U.S. Senate, becoming staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Currently CEO of a small business, he was a top industry executive and continues to serve on numerous boards and commissions on national security.So the biographical information states, but what it leaves out is that he was a combat veteran in Vietnam, an infantry platoon commander, winning a Purple Heart, and understanding the intricacies and madness of war.
One of the reasons this book makes such a resounding impact is the fact that shares his early life in Georgia, the country’s tenor during Vietnam, and the decision he made to follow his knowledge and commitments about the battlefield into the interstices of Washington, DC where decisions are made about such subject.
The synopsis outline this massive volume well – ‘After being wounded and awarded the Bronze Star for valor as a Marine infantry platoon commander in Vietnam, Arnold Punaro thought he’d left the battlefield behind. Instead, he redeployed onto the battlefield of Washington politics. For almost fifty years, he’s toiled at the intersection of the political and defense establishments, working with such luminaries as Sam Nunn, John Glenn, John McCain, Colin Powell, Robert Gates, Ash Carter, and many others. Today Democrats, Republicans, and career public officials agree on one thing: few individuals possess the military experience, governmental expertise, and personal integrity of Arnold Punaro. He offers revelations about the most contentious issues of the past and sage advice for the future. From his military service, to his role formulating and overseeing all major defense and intelligence legislation, Punaro reveals how decisions are really made inside the Beltway, providing insights into the actions of presidents since Jimmy Carter and Secretaries of Defense back to James Schlesinger. Unsparing in his criticisms of both parties, whose partisanship is leading our country over a precipice, Punaro presents radical proposals for much-needed reform to save the country for which so many have given their lives.’
As he closes his book he states, ‘I intend to continue the Sisyphean ordeal I’ve spent most of my adult life engaged in: the seemingly eternal effort to reform the Pentagon.’ Punaro’s words are well worth heeding. He is informed, committed and needed.
MajGen ARNOLD L. PUNARO, USMC (RET.), served thirty-five years in uniform, both active and reserve. He spent twenty-four years in the U.S. Senate, becoming staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Currently CEO of a small business, he was a top industry executive and continues to serve on numerous boards and commissions on national security.So the biographical information states, but what it leaves out is that he was a combat veteran in Vietnam, an infantry platoon commander, winning a Purple Heart, and understanding the intricacies and madness of war.
One of the reasons this book makes such a resounding impact is the fact that shares his early life in Georgia, the country’s tenor during Vietnam, and the decision he made to follow his knowledge and commitments about the battlefield into the interstices of Washington, DC where decisions are made about such subject.
The synopsis outline this massive volume well – ‘After being wounded and awarded the Bronze Star for valor as a Marine infantry platoon commander in Vietnam, Arnold Punaro thought he’d left the battlefield behind. Instead, he redeployed onto the battlefield of Washington politics. For almost fifty years, he’s toiled at the intersection of the political and defense establishments, working with such luminaries as Sam Nunn, John Glenn, John McCain, Colin Powell, Robert Gates, Ash Carter, and many others. Today Democrats, Republicans, and career public officials agree on one thing: few individuals possess the military experience, governmental expertise, and personal integrity of Arnold Punaro. He offers revelations about the most contentious issues of the past and sage advice for the future. From his military service, to his role formulating and overseeing all major defense and intelligence legislation, Punaro reveals how decisions are really made inside the Beltway, providing insights into the actions of presidents since Jimmy Carter and Secretaries of Defense back to James Schlesinger. Unsparing in his criticisms of both parties, whose partisanship is leading our country over a precipice, Punaro presents radical proposals for much-needed reform to save the country for which so many have given their lives.’
As he closes his book he states, ‘I intend to continue the Sisyphean ordeal I’ve spent most of my adult life engaged in: the seemingly eternal effort to reform the Pentagon.’ Punaro’s words are well worth heeding. He is informed, committed and needed.
November 12, 2016
Some disclaimers: I've known Arnie Punaro for many years and respect and like him. But I'm also a professor of non-fiction literature at NYU and I know a solid piece of work when I see one. Arnie Punaro's ON WAR AND POLITICS has an intimate feel -- his persona at war and in the halls of Congress is refreshingly conversational, and you rarely get such close contact with an author in books about combat and inner workings of Washington, and this book has both. The result is an authentic and incredibly informed voice. The good Marine telling the truth about combat; the smart and skilled staff director of the Senate Armed Services committee pulling up the shades and opening the doors. And there's a bonus: interstitial sections/chapters written by his wife, Jan, adding a third dimension to the story and turning it into a family saga. Good non-fiction teaches, informs and entertains. ON WAR AND POLITICS delivers on all three promises. In short, a good read.
February 21, 2025
It is an interesting book about Arnold L. Punaro's life inside the Beltway. Punaro has many interesting stories about his work with Senator Sam Nunn and his many years working in the US political and defense establishments. An easy, enjoyable read for those interested in the behind-the-scenes work of some of the most important and debated defense and national security issues in modern US politics.
June 14, 2019
I thought this was a very interesting book and enjoyed the way the author described his time in the military and then took that knowledge into Washington and, eventually, the civilian sector. Hearing his perspective on the issues during his time in politics, events that I remember hearing on the news, was extremely enlightening. I truly enjoyed this book.
July 20, 2017
Autobiography of the man who was Sam Nunn's Chief of Staff for 20 years. Some incite on how Washington works, but, outside of his fighting experiences in Viet Nam, most of it was a lot of name dropping and fairly bland.
May 28, 2019
Excellent and extremely relevant. Highly recommend.
December 14, 2016
While I am in awe of the writer, for the service that he provided for the country and all that he has done. Even going as far as to write the book and share what he has learned to better inform the public and to persuade the public. The book started very slow and I had a hard time continuing on to read. I though that it might have just been me, so I asked my father if he wanted to read it as well, since he is more of a history buff and has a better understanding of politics as well as war. Since he was lived the aftermath of the Vietnam war ( or conflict as no official declaration of war was ever signed) and was old enough to see the conflict brewing and the coming of the war on terrorism with Iraq. He said the same thing, he too had a hard time reading past the first chapter of the book, but he too admired the author and gave it a few more chapters than me. He said that he enjoyed the book on an informative stand point and I should give it another chance. Which I did and I am glad I did after finishing the book I give it 3 and a half stars. I however do want to add that if I had never finished the book I would not have felt like I had missed out on anything. I am glad I read it but would not say that if I never had it would have made a difference in my life.
December 24, 2016
As you can tell by how long it took me to finish it, I really had trouble getting into this book. It was written very choppily, bouncing between topics and never really getting deep into any of them.
March 5, 2018
I found it interesting, from Arnold's military career and experiences in VietNam to his years on Capitol Hill.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews