Col. Rich Martin was raised in Johnson City, Tennessee.  He was commissioned at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in December 1998, via the Platoon Leaders Course. 

Command assignments include: Equipment Platoon Commander and Support Company Commander, Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Force Service Support Group (2000-2002); Alpha Company, 1st Reconnaissance Bn, 1st Marine Division (2006-2008); CI/HUMINT Support Company, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (2010-2011); and Commanding Officer, 1st Marine Raider Support Bn, Marine Raider Support Group, Marine Forces, Special Operations Command (MARSOC) (2016-2018). 

Staff assignments include: Operations Officer and Inspecting Officer, Company A, Marine Security Guard Bn (2002-2004); G-2 Operations, 1st Marine Division (OIF II, 2004-2005); S-2, 1st Reconnaissance Bn, 1st Marine Division (OIF III, 2005-2006); Expeditionary Support Branch OIC and Current Operations Officer, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (2008-2010); Senior Intelligence Officer, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (2011-2014); Marine Corps Service Representative, Officer of the Associate Director for Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency (2014-2016); Deputy POM Branch Head, Information Resources Division and Operations Officer, Information Intelligence Division, Deputy Commandant for Information (2019-2021); and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force (2021-2022). 

Education includes: the Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Warfare School (2007) and Command & Staff College (2009) distance education programs, and the College of Naval Warfare (2019, w/ distinction).  He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, an M.A. in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma, and an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.  He was a HQMC Fellow in MIT’s Seminar XXI Program (AY20-21).