Del Mar Country Club Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala to benefit Special Operations Forces Support Foundation

Former Green Beret Chris Miller, one of the first Americans to set foot in Afghanistan following 9/11 and whose unit was portrayed in the film 12 Strong, will share his remembrance of the war against terrorism and the horrific attacks of Sept. 11 at the Del Mar Country Club Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala on Sept. 18.

Miller will serve as the keynote speaker for the Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala, and he’ll be joined on the dais by David Beamer, whose son, Todd, was among the courageous passengers who stormed the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, after the words “Let’s Roll” were heard. Sadly, Flight 93 crashed a short time later into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania killing all 44 passengers aboard, including the four terrorists that highjacked the plane.

At the Sept. 18 event Miller and Beamer will be surrounded that day by celebrities from sports and entertainment, as well as the families and warriors who have kept this country safe over the last two decades. The Dinner-Gala will take place in a spectacular outdoor tent overlooking the Del Mar Country Club golf course and the event itself serves as a fundraiser for the SOF (Special Operations Forces) Support Foundation. The event returns to Del Mar Country Club after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Almost 20 years to the day since he deployed, Miller will offer a unique window into the war in Afghanistan, a war which raged on for nearly 20 years until the United States’ recent withdrawal. A master of “irregular warfare,” Miller will recount the perfectly executed strategy of the 5th Special Forces Group, which worked closely with local Afghan leaders to put together a stunning string of American victories.

“We are honored to have both Chris and David with us for this year’s event as we learn about the sacrifices made by so many and remember all the brave men and women who lost their lives in the nearly two decades long war against terrorism,” said SOF Support co-Chair Dominique Plewes.

Since his stewardship as a Green Beret concluded, Miller worked in the Pentagon, where he oversaw U.S. special operations forces, and he later served as the acting Secretary of Defense.

On Sept. 18, breakfast and registration is set for 9 a.m. with opening ceremonies set to start at 10:45 a.m., followed by an 18-hole scramble golf tournament at 11 a.m. After golf, the event shifts to an outdoor tent overlooking the beautiful Del Mar Country Club golf course where a cocktail reception and silent auction will get underway at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and the program at 7 p.m.

Funds raised from the Del Mar Country Club Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala will support the SOF Support Foundation’s mission to help ensure American special operations forces and their families receive the support they need to effectively carry out their operations, keep their families intact, and lead healthy and productive lives after they have left this nation’s service. SOF Support strives to give those needs visibility, promote a better public understanding of SOF’s role, and to forcefully assist and advocate for SOF personnel and their families.

Among the initiatives funded by SOF Support are mental health services, including individual psychotherapy, family therapy, substance abuse and dependence treatment, and, where appropriate, options for residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation. It’s Transition with Meaning Program paves the way for individuals to continue to serve oppressed people throughout the world. And aided by SOF Support, Navy SEAL families have been able to participate in wellness and resiliency programs with other members of the special operations forces community, taking part in activities that include SCUBA certification, group therapy and chaplain-led reflection sessions.

The Del Mar Country Club Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala is co-hosted by Madeleine Pickens and Dominique Plewes, owners of the Del Mar Country Club, “Papa” Doug Manchester and the Manchester family, Corey and Stacy Lohman, and American Airlines.

The dinner-gala will include a live and silent auction that features limited-edition, military-themed specialty items and once-in-a-lifetime experiential opportunities. Among live auction items up for bid are a pair of signed gloves and tickets to see the next fight of Canelo Alvarez, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and the reigning WBA, WBC, WBO and The Ring super-middleweight champion; a special 9/11 Remembrance Trip to New York City that includes a visit to the iconic Freedom Tower; a Las Vegas trip and Baja Truck experience in Sin City; a private wine tour and stay in Napa’s Wine Country at the famed DANA Estates; a private four-bedroom villa at Cabo San Lucas’ Chileno Bay Resort; an all-encompassing sports enthusiast’s dream trip to New York that comes with the chance to take in a New York Mets baseball game in a luxury suite, a day at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament; and a round of golf at Trump Golf Links in Ferry Point.

For more information about the golf tournament and dinner-gala, or to become an event sponsor, visit sofsupport.org/del-mar-country-club-golf-dinner-gala-event, or contact the guest relations team at sofdinner@gmail.com or (833) 877-3257.