Richard Marcinko

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Richard Marcinko as seen in the dust jacket photo for Rogue Warrior
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Richard Marcinko as seen in the dust jacket photo for Rogue Warrior

Richard 'Dick' Marcinko (born November 21, 1940 in Lansford, Pennsylvania), who often calls himself the Rogue Warrior (also the title of his best-selling book), is one of the United States' most accomplished and recognized special operations experts, with over 30 years of experience in a variety of specialties including counter-terrorism, intelligence and special operations. He has a B.A. in International Relations from the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and an M.A. in Political Science from Auburn University. He currently lives in the Alexandria, Virginia area.

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[edit] Career

After enlisting in the US Navy in 1958, he worked as a teletype operator at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. The restless young sailor got into a fight with another sailor and sent him to the hospital. Marcinko's commander had him sent to SEAL training as a form of "punishment". However, in his autobiography, Marcinko claimed he found the rigorous training "perversely enjoyable". During the young SEALs first assignment, his superior was a salty Chief Petty Officer named Everett E. Barrett. Barrett was a crusty, gruff-talking man and Marcinko often said he was the most profane person he ever knew. However, he was a sort of father figure to the young man and mentored him to enter Officer Candidate School. Barrett taught his young protege to look after and mentor the men who served under him. He called it "Barrett's First Law Of The Sea". Marcinko worked his way up to the rank of commander after two tours in Vietnam serving as a Navy SEAL. He also served as a Naval Attache to Cambodia and commanding officer of SEAL Team Two. He was the first commanding officer and founder of two of the military's premier counter-terrorist units: SEAL Team SIX and Red Cell. SEAL Team SIX engaged in highly classified missions from Central America to the Middle East, the North Sea to Africa and beyond. Marcinko always revered Barrett and even as a famous author mentioned him in every book. In fact, he dedicated one of his novels to Barrett and the first Navy SEAL Roy Boehm as two fine leaders who always led from the front.

Commanding Red Cell, Marcinko was directed to use his team to test the Navy's anti-terrorist capabilities. As a result he was able to infiltrate seemingly impenetrable, highly secured bases, nuclear submarines, ships and other purported "secure areas", including the U.S. Presidential plane Air Force One. In doing so he reportedly embarrassed several superior officers, whom he accuses of involvement in his subsequent conviction for misappropriation of funds and resources under his command. His experiences led to The New York Times best-selling autobiography Rogue Warrior, and subsequent fictional sequels, some of which are co-written with John Weisman. Among the claims Marcinko makes in his own voice under fictional headings is an assertion that his Red Cell successfully captured nuclear devices from U.S. Navy facilities, and proved the viability of plans to penetrate and attack nuclear-powered submarines, to destroy the subs by using them as improvised dirty bombs and to capture launch codes for nuclear weapons aboard the subs by using mild torture against personnel in custody of launch codes. Marcinko has since published a VHS and DVD movie account of his "Red Cell" operations.

He is now CEO of SOS Temps, Inc., a private security consulting firm based in Washington, DC, whose clients have included the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the White House Fellows and the U.S. Army War College, and also of Richard Marcinko, Inc., a motivational and team-building company, which counts among its clients General Motors, AT&T, Domino's Pizza, Motorola, BellSouth and several other Fortune 500 companies. Through Eastern Michigan University, Marcinko also provides graduate-level presentations on topics such as terrorism, security and the adaptation of modern technology. He has a politically conservative talk radio show America on Watch with Dick Marcinko which is broadcast live on Saturdays (5:00PM - 8:00PM EST). He has also recently become spokesperson for the Zodiac boat company's Zodiac Maritime Training Academy.

[edit] Criticisms

Marcinko has come under criticism from many in the Special Operations community who feel that he airs too much dirty laundry, and lets his ego get in the way of truth. While none of his stories are factually inaccurate, there have been discrepancies pointed out by other famous U.S. Navy members including Senator Bob Kerrey and his old team member Jim Watson. Marcinko served time in federal prison under charges of defrauding the government over the price of contractor acquisitions for hand grenades. Marcinko maintains that he was the subject of a witch hunt; his detractors claim that he was able to beat any other charges with support from powerful governmental figures, as well as underhanded legal tactics. Marcinko details his arrest and confinement in the last chapters of his autobiography.

[edit] Military awards

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Non-fiction

[edit] Fiction

[edit] Collaborations

[edit] Articles

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Advisory

[edit] Participatory

  • Red Cell (VHS & Special Edition DVD)
  • Advanced Hostage Rescue (VHS & DVD)
  • Navy SEAL: Tides of SPECWAR (DVD)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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