CAPTAIN TOM CHABY
(SEAL, RETIRED)

Captain Tom Chaby (Retired)

Biography

Resume

Upon retirement from active duty military service, Captain Tom Chaby (tomchaby.com) set out on a mission to help individuals and teams optimize their performance. 

From the start, Tom has leveraged methods and lessons learned from his extensive experience as a SEAL leader, instructor, coach and athlete. Captain Chaby had a very unique 20+ year career, in addition to leading forces on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq as the Commanding Officer of SEAL Team FIVE, he was the Deputy Commander for SEAL training for two years, a SEAL Training Instructor for an additional three years and he implemented and led a program that focused on building full-spectrum resilience for two years. Tom’s work was integral to helping create the fiercest and most effective fighting force on the planet. 

Tom has learned from and now partners with the best- of-the-best leaders, performance coaches, sports psychologists, brain performance experts and instructors. Tom, along with his company T3 Advantage, worked with over 100 elite sports teams and fortune 500 companies, helping each optimize their performance while refining his approach and methods each step of the way. 

A dynamic talent with more than 20 years of senior executive leadership experience. Combines astute strategic, business, and financial skills to best effect. A proven ability to solve complex challenges, working with incomplete information in extremely high-pressure environments. Extensive experience translating long-term vision and strategy into actionable plans and specific direction to diverse, cross-functional teams. A results-oriented problem solver – reversing negative trends, controlling costs, maximizing productivity, and delivering on multi-million dollar projects that have increased efficiency, effectiveness and quality of life for his teams. Core qualifications include:

  • Risk & Budget Management
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Staff Training & Development
  • Change Management
  • Enterprise & Culture Building
  • Strategic Analysis & Planning
  • Effective Communication & Messaging
  • Innovative Program Development
  • Detailed Operational Planning & Execution
  • Complex Negotiations

Executive Highlights


Directed implementation of $500M in programs supporting resiliency of 67,000 forces and their families.

Synchronized a team of 500+ Instructors optimizing performance of 6,000 + students annually.

Worked operations in over 70 different countries. Led simultaneous operations disaggregated by thousands of miles.

Supervised 1,700+ personnel, a $95M budget and 42,000 acres with over 35 facilities.

Led 400 + personnel conducting over 900 + Special Operations throughout Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

We’ve developed and delivered Team Building and Leadership training for the following individuals & organizations:

  • • Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft
  • • Dennis Washington, CEO Washington Co
  • • SIGGRAPH Conference
  • • Bank One Corporation & Morgan Stanley
  • • YPO Groups X
  • • Gem Seal Pavement/Oldcastle
  • • University of Alabama Football (2 x National Champions)
  • • Florida State Football (National Champions)
  • • Auburn University Football (SEC Champions)
  • • Baltimore Ravens (World Champions)
  • • San Diego Chargers & Dallas Cowboys
  • • USC Tennis (4 x National Champions)

Professional Experience


United States Special Operations Command (Socom) Tampa Bay, FL | 2013–Present Director, Preservation of the Force & Families Task Force (POTFF-TF) Managed $500M effort. Led two Legislative Proposals to change current law to better support requirements Worked directly with 40+ members of the United States Congress to ensure resources and support. Directed a network of 1,000+ doctors, trainers, and family program coordinators to reach all program goals. Developed and implemented a Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) plan to monitor and validate program results. Refined human performance master plan for over 20 large scale construction projects. Developed and provided ongoing support for a Transition Management Program for retiring Special Operators Naval Special Warfare Center (Nswcen) San Diego, CA | 2011 – 2013 Deputy Commander Managed curriculum development and safety for over 80 training courses and 6,000 + students annually. Directed the “pipeline” to create Navy SEALs, Sniper School, Free-fall Parachute School and all High Risk Safety training Provided training capability briefings to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Congressional Delegates, Senior Foreign Military Leaders, and over 100 other state, federal, and foreign government leaders Team leader negotiating land use for critical training – multi service/agency challenge – environmental impact mitigations Naval Special Warfare Group One San Diego, CA | 2009 –2011 Deputy Commander – *Assigned Commander for seven months while acting Commander was deployed Briefed U.S. Vice President, SECDEF, and other key foreign policy officials on battlefield operations and challenges Implemented a resiliency development program – efforts raised morale, readiness and effectiveness Awarded the mark of Outstanding during Inspector General’s Command Assessment – commended for this result Received the San Diego Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Military Honoree Award Managed 10 Component Commands, 112 special assistants, and an extensive training range network, synchronizing efforts to man, train, and equip 1,700+ SEALs and support personnel conducting special operations around the globe Special Operations Task Force – West Fallujah, Iraq | 2008 –2009 Commanding Officer Established four new forward operating bases in remote regions of Iraq Successfully targeted over 125 known terrorists and improved regional stability in critical regions of Iraq Developed and implemented new aerial surveillance capability, effort improved battlefield effectiveness Led 400 personnel; routinely briefed senior military and governmental leaders from the US and Iraq Developed and implemented Third Location Decompression (TLD) stop in Germany. Effort improved service members’ ability to seamlessly reintegrate with their family upon return from combat Seal Team Five San Diego, Ca | 2007 – 2008 Commanding Officer Ranked #1 Commanding Officer on West Coast Task organized and trained 200 personnel to deploy to combat around the world Implemented 1st ever Combat Support Unit fusing operations, ordinance and supply into one cohesive team United States Special Operations Command Tampa Bay, Fl | 2004 – 2007 Operations Planned and executed 57 intricate trips around the world for the Commanding Officer (a position leading 50K+ personnel) to meet with Heads of State, political leaders, ambassadors, business leaders, military leaders and combat units Night Chief of Operations for Task Force in Afghanistan – tracking and ensuring battlefield requirements were met Led a Strategic Planning Team of 125 personnel developing a classified operation plan against global terrorist organizations Seal Team Eight Afghanistan | 2001 – 2002 Task Unit Commander Led 50+ personnel conducting full-spectrum special operations in Afghanistan Key leader developing operational plans to surge into Afghanistan in response to 9/11 Trained three Carrier Battle Groups to conduct Maritime Interdiction Operations Colombian Embassy Bogota, Colombia | Puerto Rico | Panama | 1998 – 2001 Plans Officer | Operations Officer Led 150 personnel with $20M budget planning and executing operations throughout South America/Caribbean Routinely briefed both US & Colombian Ambassadors, Deputy Chief of Mission and other key leaders Worked alongside all US Agencies and the Colombian Government ensuring program readiness and effectiveness

Education


University Of Michigan | Ross School Of Business

Executive Education: Leadership & Judgment

National University

MA, Business & Organizational Management

University Of Delaware

BS, Financial Management

EXCELLENCE IS A CHOICE

Systems and strategies to help you and your team optimize your performance.