Prior to the proclamation of Indonesian independence, he for a time worked at the colonial railway department.

After the revolution, he served within the Siliwangi Military Region and throughout the 1950s was active at combatting the Darul Islam rebellion in West Java.

He was then appointed as chief of staff of Kodam Iskandar Muda in Aceh, and then further promoted to become commander of Siliwangi in 1974.

[6] In 1985, after his gubernatorial tenure, Kunaefi was appointed as Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen.

[7] During his ambassadorship, Kunaefi proposed a reduction in the number of unskilled Indonesian workers being sent to Saudi Arabia.