▁of ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Reserve ▁in ▁its ▁history . ▁P un aro ▁was ▁mobil ized ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁Operation ▁End uring ▁Fre edom ▁and ▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom . ▁P un aro ▁retired ▁as ▁a ▁Major ▁General ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁after ▁ 3 5 ▁years ▁of ▁military ▁service . ▁ ▁Senate ▁career ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁P un aro ▁worked ▁for ▁Senator ▁Sam ▁N unn ▁( D - GA ) ▁on ▁national ▁security ▁matters . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁his ▁Director ▁of ▁National ▁Security ▁Affairs ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁Staff ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Ar med ▁Services ▁Committee ▁( 1 9 8 7 – 9 5 ) ▁and ▁Staff ▁Director ▁for ▁the ▁Minor ity ▁( 1 9 8 3 – 8 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 – 9 7 ). ▁In ▁his ▁work ▁with ▁Senator ▁N unn ▁and ▁the ▁Senate ▁Ar med ▁Services ▁Committee , ▁he ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁form ulation ▁of ▁all ▁major ▁defense ▁and ▁intelligence ▁legisl ation ▁including ▁the ▁beg inn ings ▁of ▁the ▁All - ▁Vol unte er ▁Force , ▁the ▁Gold water - N ich ols ▁Def ense ▁Re organ ization , ▁the ▁Pack ard ▁Commission ▁Ac quisition ▁Re forms , ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Command , ▁the ▁draw - down ▁after ▁the ▁Cold ▁War , ▁the ▁first ▁G ulf ▁War , ▁g ays ▁in ▁the ▁military , ▁and ▁expand ing ▁b illet s