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VOL. 3/ISSUE 27
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015
Expanded UDT-SEAL Museum opened Patrick McCallister FOR VETERAN VOICE
patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com
There aren’t many places where one can go plan a SEAL mission, besides Naval Special Warfare Command, or now the National Navy UTD-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce. The Trident Challenge is among the new displays the museum unveiled on Monday, April 20 at a reception celebrating its $2.2 million expansion. The interactive display gives folks a chance to try their hands at planning SEAL missions. Those whose missions fail go back to BUD/S Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. “The bottom line is, we’ve taken the museum to another level,” Rick Kaiser, executive director, said in an interview after the reception. “Now it’s a firstclass, professional (museum). It’s impressive.” On Monday, May 25, the museum will have a Memorial Day commemoration. That’ll start at 10 a.m. Seating is limited, so early arrival is suggested. As the museum, which is approaching its 30th anniversary, opens its new displays and attractions, it’s also in the thick of planning a fourth building on its campus at 3300 N. State Road A1A, North Hutchinson Island. That’ll cost about $4 million, and another $4 million to set it up with displays. Local state representatives and senators are trying to get the Florida Legislature to appropriate some funding for the expansion this session. Kaiser said the museum is really still getting its new displays and attractions up and running. “We’re not 100 percent done,” he said. “We’re 95 percent done. It’s up and running and displays are going strong.” Kaiser said the museum has about 13,500 square feet of indoor exhibit area. Among its displays are the Maersk Alabama lifeboat. SEAL snipers fa-
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Photo courtesy of the National Navy UDT/SEAL Museum Master Chief Ken Corona (assistant executive director, Navy SEAL Museum), right; museum board of director Bob Devine, and right, museum executive director Rick Kaiser. Cake made by Michael Gold, museum supporter and owner Thriftshopper.com