Mann grew up in the mountains of northern California. He served a tour of duty in Vietnam as an infantry soldier in the famed 1st Air Cavalry Division from June of 1969 to June of 1970. He was awarded a Silver Star, an Army Commendation Medal with a V device, a Bronze Star with a V device, and two Purple Hearts. Mann lives with his wife on 80 acres bordered by uninhabited timberland in Lakehead, CA.