The Windy City Welcomes the Navy SEAL Museum

Friends gathered for two wonderful evenings in Illinois for the benefit of the Navy SEAL Museum’s Trident House Charities Program. We are so grateful for the warm reception we received Friday night, June 23, in downtown Chicago and then again Saturday evening, June 24, at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview. Our events raise awareness for the Museum’s support of our Special Operation families, bringing together patriots from around the nation who enthusiastically meet the need. Many thanks to all who came out in support of the event, including Frog X Parachute Team, our dedicated team of Navy SEALs, Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers. We are grateful for the attentive staff at both the University Club of Chicago and the North Shore Country Club who helped execute both evenings flawlessly.

We are especially grateful for our Chicago Committee, a team that exemplifies patriotism in the charitable work they have done for several years. They are dedicated Museum board members and friends, enthusiastic advocates for our mission. Peter Garvy and Ted Neely are the dynamic teammates who have led this charge, collectively defining their patriotic passion by founding these Chicago events, extending our reach in service to the military community. The Navy SEAL Museum remains exceedingly grateful for their service as directors, volunteers, and supporters, providing unwavering guidance and relentless support. We are thankful for the support of the committee they have formed to further our mission.

Thank You, SEAL Team Chicago.

Saturday, June 24
Assault on the North Shore Country Club

Special Keynote Speaker – Friday, June 23

COMMAND MASTER CHIEF SPECIAL WARFARE OPERATOR (SEAL)
BRITT K. SLABINSKI, UNITED STATES NAVY (RET.)
Britt Slabinski is from Northampton, MA. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout at age 14 and upon graduating High School enlisted in the US Navy in 1988. He completed
Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training with class 164 in January 1990.

Slabinski retired from Naval Service after 25 Years as a Command Master Chief. During those years he completed 9 overseas deployments and 15 combat deployments in support of U. S. national objectives.

Britt was awarded the Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump on May 24, 2018, for his actions during combat operations on March 4, 2002 while deployed to
Afghanistan. Britt is the Chief of Staff at Wave Neuroscience in Newport Beach, Ca.

Special Panel Discussion With SEALs – Saturday, June 24

Master Chief (SEAL) Rick Kaiser, USN (Ret), Chief Executive Officer
Born and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Rick joined the U.S. Navy at age 17. He attended Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) training Class 109 in Coronado, CA. Rick was assigned to SEAL Team TWO in Little Creek, VA in 1980. He served at SEAL Team TWO from 1980 until 1985, specializing in winter warfare, combat diving, and sniping until he was selected for duty at SEAL Team SIX in 1985.
In 1993, Rick received the Silver Star Medal for Valor during the Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down). He served at ST-6 from 1985 through October of 2012. During his time at ST-6, Rick acted as sniper, explosives expert, lead training Chief, sniper team leader, and Deputy Operations Officer.

Rick continues to serve his country and fellow SEALs by helping to educate others about this unique special operations force and further the Frogman heritage as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. Rick is married to Barbara Kaiser and has two children, Emily and Eric. Rick and Barbara currently reside in Vero Beach,
Florida.

CDR (SEAL) Grant Mann, USN (Ret), Executive Director
Commander Mann was born in Toronto, Canada. He was raised in Vero Beach, Florida, and enlisted there in 1986. He immediately reported to Boot Camp and was subsequently assigned to the USS Harry W. Hill (DD 986), homeported out of San Diego, California. After two years on board, he was selected and attended Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training Class 162, graduating in October 1989. Commander Mann’s enlisted operational assignments include two tours onboard DD 986 as a Boatswain Mate, two deployments at SEAL Team FIVE, and seven years at SEAL Team SIX.

Upon commissioning in November 2000, he was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Unit One in Guam as the Training Officer. He returned to SEAL Team SIX in June 2004 and was assigned as the Command Training Officer overseeing the assessment, selection and training of all command personnel. In May 2012 he was assigned to NSW Group-2 Training Detachment and completed his Executive Officer tour. He returned to SEAL Team SIX in 2015 and assumed Mobility Squadron Commander, then in 2016, he moved departments to fill the Selection Training & Enhanced Performance (S.T.E.P) director position. He subsequently returned to the Command Mobility Squadron in 2018, serving as the Squadron Commander until his retirement in May 2020.

His operational overseas deployments were in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Bosnia, Philippines, Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Africa. He trained with foreign forces from Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, Korea, Tonga, France, Germany, and the UK. Commander Mann is the recipient of a Bronze Star Medal and numerous other awards over his 34 years of service. He and wife Wendy have been married for 34 years and have a daughter, Savannah, and son Breton. He presently serves as the Executive Director of the National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.

CWO5 (SEAL) Glenn Cooper, USN (Ret), Assistant Executive Director
Glenn Cooper was born and raised in Plainville, Massachusetts. He joined the Navy at age 18. He attended Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training Class 117 in Coronado, CA. He was assigned to UDT 11 / SEAL Team FIVE where he served from 1982 until 1987, specializing in Jungle Warfare as a point man for 3 Platoons and deployments. Glenn was selected for duty to SEAL Team SIX in 1987 and served as an Assault Team member until 1990. During this time, he deployed to Panama for Operation Just Cause. His next assignment was as a 1st Phase BUD/S instructor for 18 classes and Hell weeks.

In 1993 he returned to NSWDG as an Assault Team member and Special Program manager. Glenn was commissioned as a Chief Warrant Officer in 1999 and was assigned to UNIT 4 in Puerto Rico as the Training Officer. 2002 brought him back to NSWDG where he served as the Survey Program Director, Clandestine Program Manager, Basic and Advance Training Officer. During this time, he deployed to Afghanistan and Pakistan for Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. His last active-duty assignment from 2011–2013 was as the Training Officer at NSWBTC where he oversaw all SEAL and SWCC initial qualification training.

After serving 33 years, Glenn retired and worked as a Civilian Operations Officer for NSWDG. He currently serves as the Assistant Executive Director of the National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida. He and his wife Cheryl reside in Vero Beach, Florida.