Watch the Trailer

The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

Reviews

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“For more than 40 years, Arnold Punaro has championed bold, innovative ideas for improving the performance of the U.S. military establishment. He has a keen and rare knack for cutting through bewildering detail to precisely identify the heart of a problem. Arnold combines vast energy and insightful intellect to produce profound ideas. He has much of value to say; we must listen.”

—Jim Locher, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“The national security of the United States is “at risk” given growing security threats, increasing fiscal pressures, bloated bureaucracies, and long-standing business-related challenges. Arnold Punaro has significant experience in three critical dimensions needed to make informed observations and recommendations concerning how to reform the Pentagon. First, he was a Major General in the U.S. Marines Corps (USMC). Second, he was the top staff person on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Third, he has significant experience inside the Pentagon, including many years of experience on the Defense Business Board (DBB). Just as importantly, he is a dedicated patriot who is committed to improving the Pentagon, the Department of Defense, and our country. This book can help the responsible leaders make the needed choices to help create a better future.”

—Honorable David Walker, Distinguished Visiting Professor (Crowe Chair) - USNA, Former U.S. Comptroller General Peterson Foundation

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“Arnold Punaro is one of America's foremost thought leaders on all aspects of defense management. Drawing upon his distinguished service in the military, on Capitol Hill and in industry, he has for decades been an invaluable advisor to Secretaries of Defense, other senior defense officials, and key legislators of both political parties. This book is must-reading for all who recognize the need to reform and modernize the Defense Department as it contends with the challenges of the twenty-first century.”

—Dov S. Zakheim, Former Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officern

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“Whether in uniform, working in the government, or as one of the top thought leaders on national security, Arnold Punaro has invested his life focused on strengthening U.S. national security. When Gen. Punaro speaks, people listen because he is non-partisan, evidence-based, and thoroughly committed to making sure that the United States military is prepared for the future. This book will change the way you understand the current defense establishment and how you think about the challenges and opportunities ahead for the nation.”

—David M. Van Slyke, Dean, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“To understand the Pentagon is to understand that it is a place of enduring competition -- between American and its adversaries, rival Constitution powers given to the President and the Congress, the tensions of land, sea, air and space in the military departments, and the push of each new generation of technology against the status quo. I have teamed with Arnold Punaro, and at other times sat across the table in House-Senate negotiations, but he has watched it all and is always committed to doing right for the men and women that serve in the armed forces of the United States.”

—Rudy DeLeon, SVP of National Security & International Policy, New American Progress. Former Deputy Secretary of Defense, Former USD P&R, Former Secretary of the Air Force

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“In The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force, General Arnold Punaro considers the dilemmas of runaway costs, excessive bureaucracy, and unconstructive politics in America’s defense operations – problems that have been decades in the making. Punaro, with his deep leadership experience in the Marine Corps, on the Hill, and in the private sector, has unique vantage points on subjects as disparate as the Congressional appropriations process, the doctrine of civilian control of the military, and contracting of military hardware and services. His proposed reforms, grouped into three areas (leadership, legislative, process-oriented) are practicable and well-timed, as the bill for U.S. defense operations approach three-quarters of a trillion dollars, annually.”

—Matthew R. Auer, Arch Professor of Public and International Affairs Dean, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“Arnold Punaro is more devoted and committed to the well-being and effectiveness of our men and women in uniform than anyone I have known. In this valuable book, he warns that our nation’s ability to preserve peace through strength is in jeopardy if the current alarming trends continue. Our nation has greatly benefited from Punaro’s military experience, his knowledge, his keen insights, his sound judgment and his common sense. This book may be his most important contribution yet to America’s security.”

—Senator Sam Nunn, Former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Founder and Co-Chair, Nuclear Threat Initiative

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“No one has more experience with the Department of Defense in varying roles and capacities than Arnold Punaro. Passionate to protect America, he documents the growing deficiencies of the Department. This book is a call to action and a blueprint for reform. ”

—John Hamre, CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies. Former Deputy Secretary of Defense and Under Secretary of Defense Comptroller

Praise for The Ever-Shrinking Fighting Force

“Arnold Punaro’s entire adult life has been dedicated to national security issues, whether in a Marine uniform in Vietnam, in the Senate Armed Services Committee as Staff Director, or in industry as Chairman of the NDIA.

Over 23 years ago, he led a very powerful group of former defense experts in a comprehensive study of the way the Department of Defense is organized and how it spends its immense budget. The study proposed the most complete set of recommendations ever advocated. Had any of the succeeding administrations adopted any or all of the recommendations proposed, The Department of Defense and our country would be in a much better place today and would be doing much more with less wasted resources.

Arnold Punaro’s second book, also aimed at explaining the problems we face, offers solutions that should be implemented. The incoming administration would do well to pay close attention to his recommendations; they will make the task of providing for our national security much more efficient and more relevant in the face of the 21st century challenges.”
”

—General Jim Jones, USMC (Ret), Former U.S. National Security Advisor. 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps. Former Commander, U.S. European Command & Supreme Allied Commander Europe

Social Media

Unable to load Tweets

Follow Major General Arnold L. Punaro, USMC, Ret. on social media:

Twitter @ArnoldLPunaro

Arnold L. Punaro LinkedIn

Facebook Author Page