well ▁School ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board ▁and ▁Georgia ▁Te ch ' s ▁N unn ▁School ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Spring ▁Hill ▁College ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁P un aro ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁military ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁commission ed ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant . ▁He ▁served ▁on ▁active ▁duty ▁as ▁an ▁inf antry ▁pl ato on ▁commander ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁from ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁to ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Star ▁for ▁Val or ▁and ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁Heart . ▁Upon ▁returning ▁from ▁Vietnam , ▁he ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁at ▁The ▁Basic ▁School ▁( T BS ) ▁in ▁Quant ico , ▁Virginia . ▁P un aro ▁completed ▁his ▁active ▁duty ▁oblig ation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁subsequently ▁joined ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Reserve ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁until ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁mobil ized ▁for ▁Operation ▁Des ert ▁Sh ield . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁he ▁completed ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁active ▁duty ▁as ▁Commander ▁of ▁J oint ▁Task ▁Force ▁Prov ide ▁Promise ▁( For ward ) ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁Y ug oslav ia . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Brig ad ier ▁General , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁assignment ▁was ▁Deput y ▁Commander ▁of