After retiring from the United States Navy, he became an author, radio talk show host, military consultant, and motivational speaker.

[1] What began as an urban street battle turned into a rescue mission of American nurses and a schoolteacher trapped in the city's church and hospital.

[7] During the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Marcinko was one of two Navy representatives for a Joint Chiefs of Staff task force known as the TAT (Terrorist Action Team).

The purpose of the TAT was to develop a plan to free the American hostages held in Iran which culminated in Operation Eagle Claw.

[9] After relinquishing command of SEAL Team Six to Captain Robert Gormly, Marcinko was tasked by Vice Admiral James "Ace" Lyons, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, with the design of a unit to test the Navy's vulnerability to terrorism.

[12] On March 9, 1990, Marcinko was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and fined $10,000 under charges of defrauding the government over the price of contractor acquisitions for hand grenades.

[13] Marcinko maintained that he was the subject of a witch-hunt for his work with Red Cell and that the fraud committed revealed the weaknesses of military security.

[14] His experiences led him to write his autobiography, The New York Times best-selling Rogue Warrior, and subsequent fictional sequels, most of which are co-written with ghostwriter John Weisman.

[17] At the time of his death, he was CEO of Red Cell International and formerly of SOS Temps, Inc., a private security consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Richard Marcinko, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Platoon Leader of 8th Platoon, SEAL Team Detachment Alfa, on 14 and 15 May 1968.

Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Marcinko ordered artillery to stand by and directed air strikes on the Viet Cong within 300 meters of his own position.

A reconnaissance, conducted immediately after the enemy broke contact, revealed many heavy blood trails, one Viet Cong killed, and one SKS rifle abandoned and numerous bundles of hot food and clothing within 20 meters of the ambush site.

His courage, valor under fire, dedication to duty and accurate prediction of the enemy's tactics were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

[23]Marcinko's fiction adventure novels depict himself as recounting the events of the story as they happen, in a timeline with his autobiography as the starting point.