News and Intel from Navy SEAL Museum San Diego

DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

Bravo Zulu to All of You 🫡

Hooyah, Teammates –

We did it. The Plankowner Campaign has officially reached its goal, raising over $1 million from more than 1,000 SEALs across over 200 BUD/S Classes.

To every SEAL who stepped up, to every class that answered the call—your commitment has made this Museum possible. In recognition of your efforts, all BUD/S Classes who met the $5,000 goal will be etched upon the 9-ft. high granite base of the Combat Diver Statue, a symbol of our shared legacy and brotherhood.

To our families, friends, and supporters—you made this happen, as well. Your generosity and relentless efforts to raise awareness will ensure that our history, heritage, and the incredible stories of Naval Special Warfare will be preserved, honored, and shared for generations to come.
This campaign benefited our community beyond fundraising. The outreach saw former Teammates reconnecting after years apart, reuniting in a common cause. We also heard moving honors to the Fallen, and inspiring stories of tribute to friends and family.

In closing, I’m deeply humbled by everyone’s support. I couldn’t be more honored to be part of this effort and to have served alongside such incredible teammates. On behalf of the entire NSMSD team, please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your generous support that will make possible a place where Navy SEALs can tell their own story, in their own words and have a tremendous impact.

Thank you for your belief in our vision to create a space where NSW operators and their families can gather to celebrate or honor the fallen; the value you place on the prospect of our becoming a community resource where the public can hear those stories and become inspired to serve something larger than themselves will be transformational.

The finish line is in sight, and the impact of this museum will be felt for years to come. We look forward to inviting you into the Museum very soon.

V/r,

Beef Drechsler
Executive Director

Long Live the Brotherhood 🔱 🐸

Navy SEAL Museum CEO, Master Chief (SEAL) Rick Kaiser, U.S. Navy (Retired) extends his gratitude for all supporters of the BUD/S Class Plank Owner Campaign.

Stories from the Campaign

During the course of this campaign, we heard so many different stories from SEALs and non-SEALs alike about why they gave and what this meant to them or their friends and loved ones. There are far too many to list here. But there are some unique statistics that we thought readers would find interesting.

MUSEUM UPDATES

RADM Sands Visits the Museum

Last month, Dr. Jim Shafer, Chairman of the National Navy SEAL Museum, his wife Helen, and Capt. Brian “Beef” Drechsler, USN (Retired) and Executive Director of the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego, had the honor of welcoming Rear Admiral Milton “Jamie” Sands III and his wife, Jennifer, to the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego. Dr. Shafer and Captain Drechsler provided them with a personal tour of the Museum Showcase and shared the vision for Phase II.

RADM Milton “Jamie” Sands III currently serves as Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, in Coronado, California. San Diego is the home of Naval Special Warfare, where all aspiring Navy SEAL candidates undergo Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training. The Navy SEAL Museum San Diego is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of these elite warriors in the very place where U.S. Navy SEALs are forged and to provide education and inspiration to current and future generations through their stories of commitment and sacrifice.

RADM Sands and his wife, Jennifer, began their visit at the Museum’s vision site where they were given an inside look at the future of the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego. They then walked to the Kettner site to experience the Museum Showcase firsthand, highlighting the strategic proximity between the two locations. RADM Sands was deeply impressed by the scale of the vision, as well as the thoughtful planning and impactful content of the showcase.

He shared that, prior to his visit, he had not fully grasped the breadth of impact the Showcase and future Museum will have—not only on San Diego, but also on the active-duty Naval Special Warfare community and the nation at large. RADM Sands expressed his eagerness to continue working with the organization to ensure that Naval Special Warfare Command and the broader active-duty community remain engaged in the Museum’s mission.

He was particularly moved by the Call-to-Action wall and expressed pride in being associated with the Museum’s important mission. Both RADM Sands and Jennifer conveyed their gratitude for the tour and shared their excitement for the Museum’s opening later this year.

The National Navy SEAL Museum extends its deepest gratitude to RADM Sands for his unwavering service to this country and his continued support of the Museum and its mission.

With great enthusiasm, we look forward to the opening of the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego in late 2025, and to the continued expansion of the National Navy SEAL Museum’s impact on both a national and global scale.

Pop-Up Exhibition

Navy SEAL Museum San Diego sits adjacent to the One America Plaza (OAP) downtown on the corner of Broadway and Kettner. The Museum has been given the opportunity to “animate” six 8-foot by 8-foot window display cases inside OAP, just off the lobby of the building.

These cases represent a two-fold opportunity. Most obviously a promotion of the upcoming Museum, but more to our mission, a way to educate passers-by about the clandestine world of Navy SEALs and their history.

In pursuit of this, the team has chosen to focus on the different environments SEALs operate in, and show aspects of—Sea, Air, Land—but have included the realm of space as well. We have dug deep into our ever-growing collections to highlight the variety of environments SEALs are tasked to operate in, so each display case will break out as follows:

1. 1. UDT – display of cruise box from UDT-11, Boatswain Mate 1st Class Harold Nething
   2. Men with Green Faces – display of Vietnam-era SEALs and their riverine uniforms
   3. Modern Diver – display of fully-kitted combat diver with all accessories
   4. HALO/HAHO – a showcase of high-altitude insertion methods from the air. Thank you to Complete Parachute Solutions for their donation of the jump rig! 💪
   5. SWCC – a glimpse into the lesser-known, but absolutely vital to many SEAL missions are their combat crewman counterparts
   6. Space – highlighting the contributions of SEALs in space from recovering reentry vehicles in the ocean to commanding space station missions.

The cases should be complete by May 1. Please stop by and have a look if you are in the neighborhood.

NSW HISTORY

The Swashbuckler, the Ringmaster,
and the Author:
The Capture of Ventotene

What do Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Henry Ringling North, and John Steinbeck have in common? Well, it involves Task Group 80.4, a unit notable for its assortment of unconventional personnel and the innovative tactics they employed during World War II.

Former U.S. Navy Officer, Phil Garn, writes about the improbable pairing of some of America’s iconic names in America’s largest war.

NSMSD PARTNERS

Looking to have a 🍺 or a 🍕?
Then try this Navy SEAL Brewery

(conveniently located near the museum)

Protector Brewery, San Diego’s first organic brewery, was founded by Navy SEAL veteran Sean Haggerty, who discovered a passion for brewing craft beer during his deployments.

With the support of his wife, Cory, he decided to focus on organic brewing, aiming to create a legacy of sustainability and health within the beer community. Protector Brewery uses only USDA-certified organic ingredients grown in the USA, and their packaging is 100% recyclable.

Since opening in 2017, they have expanded their distribution and partnered with various organizations. They value giving back to their community and appreciate the support of craft beer enthusiasts.

And to say we’re excited to be in their neighborhood would be an understatement. Look out for great for a great partnership once the Museum opens.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Trident House Charities Program (THCP), an initiative of the National Navy SEAL Museum, is dedicated to supporting Special Operations Forces and their families? When we open our doors, admission revenue to Navy SEAL Museum San Diego will directly fund these programs.

These programs include K9 support, respite houses, and direct financial support to NSW families.

Learn more about the many avenues of support open to NSW families.