[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 146 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S12833]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RETIREMENT OF MG ARNOLD PUNARO

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I was privileged to attend the retirement 
ceremony of MG Arnold Punaro from the U.S. Marine Corps on September 
19, 2003 at the Marine Barracks here in Washington, DC. General Punaro 
is known to many here in the Senate from his outstanding service of 
many years as staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee and 
on the personal staff of Senator Sam Nunn. I ask unanimous consent that 
there be printed in the Record, at this point, portions of the remarks 
made at the ceremony by Gen. James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander, 
Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

Remarks of General James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and 
                    Commander, U.S. European Command

       The real reason we are all here is to pay honor to a true 
     patriot who has given so much of his time and talent to our 
     Nation, and to each of us . . . Major General Arnold Punaro, 
     United States Marine.
       We also honor an exceptional family, which has supported 
     him through his life in the ``public sector' of Capitol Hill 
     and in his career in the U.S. Marine Corps. Jan Punaro stands 
     in no shadow among spouses who deserve our eternal gratitude. 
     Her support to Arnold, through his ``many'' simultaneous 
     careers, has been remarkable.
       Arnold has been a marine since 1968, a personal staff 
     member for Senator Sam Nunn for 24 years, a minority and 
     majority staff director of the Senate Armed Services 
     Committee for a total of 15 years, a member of Georgetown 
     University's adjunct faculty for ten years, and a most 
     valuable ``utility infielder'' of the Department of Defense 
     on a wide range of issues all having to do with 
     transformation, long before the term itself became popular.
       As a marine, Arnold Punaro has literally ``done it all'' . 
     . . Republic of Vietnam combat leader, wounded and decorated, 
     the Marine Corps basic school ``staff protocol officer.'' 
     Upon leaving active duty, he went into the reserves where he 
     saw active duty in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and in the 
     Balkans where he battled the largest snow storm ever to hit 
     Zagreb. He has participated in the Marine Corps 
     transformation starting back in 1995 until today. In 1997 he 
     chaired the ``Defense Reform Task Force'' for Secretary Cohen 
     and produced a document that remains very current. He also 
     participated in the Hart-Rudman Commission, and currently 
     serves on the Secretary of Defense's newly formed Defense 
     Business Board.
       In the public sector, Arnold Punaro started his post-active 
     duty life working for Senator Sam Nunn, rapidly rising from 
     press secretary to foreign policy/national security 
     legislative assistant on the Senator's personal staff, before 
     moving to the Senate Armed Services Committee and its 
     leadership positions as Director for both the Minority and 
     the Majority. The legislation produced during his time on the 
     committee was both historic and transformational. Let's be 
     clear . . . where we are today in our military has a lot to 
     do with the fact that Arnold Punaro was where he was in a 
     very important time for each of our services, starting with 
     the all-volunteer force and Goldwater-Nickles legislation.
       Arnold Punaro is currently serving as the Director of 
     Reserve Affairs at Headquarters Marine Corps. He has been 
     instrumental in bringing the ``Marine for Life Program'' to 
     fruition in these past few years, for which I am sincerely 
     grateful. Marines now can have a lifelong association with 
     the Corps regardless of their career pursuits. Always a 
     passionate advocate, Arnold Punaro's well known compassion 
     for the lives of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines and 
     their families defines him in all that he is and cared about.
       As an adjunct professor (with one bachelor of science and 
     two masters of arts) at my alma mater, Georgetown University, 
     for over ten years he helped mold and shape the minds of our 
     future leaders on national security issues.
       For all he has done in his short life, Arnold Punaro has 
     always found time for his family . . . the son of Angelo and 
     Anina Punaro, first generation Italian-Americans from 
     southern Italy, who watched with great admiration as young 
     Arnold grew into manhood and became a United States Marine, 
     going off to war in 1967.
       His company commander in Vietnam, COL Jim Van Riper, and 
     his wife Connie, are here today to pay tribute to this great 
     American, and we welcome them back to this post where they 
     served with distinction in the early 70's. We're all proud of 
     Arnold and Jan and their children, especially as we celebrate 
     the safe return of 1LT Joe Punaro, USMC from Operation Iraqi 
     Freedom where he served at the front of Marine lines in the 
     capture of Baghdad. Joe . . . welcome home, we're all very 
     proud of you and your Marines.
       Arnold, it is a special honor for me to be able to be here 
     today. We've known each other for 24 years, and for 24 years 
     I've been privileged to have a front row seat which has 
     allowed me to witness your very significant contributions to 
     our Nation, both in and out of uniform. Very simply, you have 
     been and remain today a special asset, and people who make 
     the big decisions, who need the really good advice, the 
     thoughtful consideration on difficult issues, turn to you 
     knowing that you will always give straightforward, 
     thoughtful, and forthright advice. In this respect, you are 
     in a class by yourself.
       You stand here today, in our eyes, as a great Marine. The 
     Corps has benefitted from your wise advice for many years, 
     through both good times and bad times, and we are all the 
     better for all you have contributed. You represent the finest 
     example of the concept of the citizen-soldier by your 
     selflessness and your dedication to, simply, but 
     relentlessly, trying to do the right thing . . . regardless 
     of the difficulty or the popularity (or lack thereof) of a 
     given position.
       All of us known full well why we are here today, and it is 
     simply for this reason, to honor you, Jan, and your family; 
     to say thank you for all you have done for all of us; and to 
     wish you well in all you will do from here on out. There is 
     still much more to be done.
       Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, ``semper fidelis'' means 
     ``always faithful.'' Those words seem awfully appropriate 
     today as we honor Major General Arnold Punaro.
       Well done, my friend, well done!

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