Andy Stumpf

Andy Stumpf is a retired Navy SEAL, world-record-holding wingsuit BASE jumper, martial artist, and author. His work focuses on mental frameworks, moment-to-moment decision-making, and methods for developing personal discipline and resilience.

3 claims checked on air: 1 contradicted 1 supported 1 unverified

What they said on air

2:03:50unverifiedlowThe Mental Frame & Specific Daily Actions to Succeed | Andy

The Green Beret community has lost more personnel to suicide than to combat operations since 2001.

"The Green Beret community has now lost more people to suicide than combat operations since 2001." (said at 2:03:50)

A specific comparison showing that the Green Beret community (U.S. Army Special Forces) has lost more personnel to suicide than to combat operations since 2001 was not identified in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Published epidemiological data on U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) duty-related fatalities from 2001 to 2018 showed that the vast majority of active-duty fatalities occurred during combat operations (85.3%) and were classified as homicide or accident, with suicide accounting for only 0.8% of in-line-of-duty deaths analyzed in that study (PMID: 31045733). While other studies note high or escalating rates of suicide among Special Operations Forces and associated mental health issues (PMID: 31201752, PMID: 32052666), and Army STARRS data found lower odds of documented suicide attempts among active-duty Special Forces compared to other combat roles (PMID: 28545424), comprehensive post-service and active-duty mortality counts specifically showing suicide deaths exceeding combat deaths for Green Berets since 2001 are unverified in the medical literature.

context: Suicide attempts in U.S. Army combat arms, special forces and combat medics. (BMC psychiatry 2017)
"In adjusted models, the odds of attempting suicide were higher in CA (OR = 1.2 [95% CI: 1.1-1.2]) and CM (OR = 1.4 [95% CI: 1.3-1.5]), but lower in SF (OR = 0.3 [95% CI: 0.2-0.5]) compared to all other occupations." (abstract, results)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: A descriptive study of US Special Operations Command fatalities, 2001 to 2018. (The journal of trauma and acute care surgery 2019)
"Most died outside the United States (87.1%), during combat operations (85.3%), in the prehospital environment (91.5%), and the same day of insult (90.4%). Most fatalities were with the US Army Special Operations Command (67.6%)... The manner of death was primarily homicide (66.0%) and accident (30.5%), followed by natural (2.1%), suicide (0.8%), and undetermined (0.7%)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: Resilience and Suicide in Special Operations Forces: State of the Science via Integrative … (Journal of special operations medicine : a peer reviewed journal for SOF medical professionals 2019)
"Despite researchers' consistent assertions that SOF are highly resilient and at low risk for suicide, granular analysis of pertinent research and escalating suicide in SOF reveals no empirical basis for those beliefs." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

2:07:27supportedhighThe Mental Frame & Specific Daily Actions to Succeed | Andy

Alcohol functions pharmacologically as a central nervous system depressant.

"alcohol being a—you could speak to this, you know, but central nervous system depressant." (said at 2:07:27)

Ethanol (alcohol) is well-established in clinical pharmacology as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Pharmacologically, it enhances inhibitory GABAergic neurotransmission and suppresses excitatory neurotransmission, producing dose-dependent sedation, cognitive and psychomotor impairment, and general CNS depression, which additive or synergistic interactions with other depressants (e.g., benzodiazepines, GHB, neuroactive steroids) further confirm.

supports: Clinical effect of ethanol co-use in patients with acute drug toxicity involving the use o… (European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine 2022)
"Patients who use recreational drugs frequently co-ingest ethanol, which is considered a central nervous system (CNS) depressant." (abstract, background, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
supports: Cognitive effects, pharmacokinetics, and safety of zuranolone administered alone or with a… (Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) 2024)
"Zuranolone prescribers and patients should be aware of the potential for increased central nervous system-depressant effects if coadministered with GABAergic active compounds such as alprazolam and ethanol." (abstract, conclusions, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

2:18:44contradictedmoderateThe Mental Frame & Specific Daily Actions to Succeed | Andy

Suicide rates are statistically higher in military special operations forces compared to general benchmarks.

"I do know that statistically it's way higher in the occupation that I came from." (said at 2:18:44)

Large-scale epidemiological data examining US Army Special Operations Forces (SOF) show that suicide mortality rates among SOF operators were not statistically higher than those of regular Army soldiers, while rates of suicide ideation and nonfatal suicide attempts were significantly lower (70% to 90% lower). However, when suicidal behavior occurred among operators, it exhibited higher lethality (a lower attempt-to-death ratio).

contradicts: Suicidal Behavior in US Army Special Operations Forces. (JAMA network open 2025)
"Operator suicide attempt crude rates were 70% lower than those of SOF support personnel (rate ratio [RR], 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.3) and 90% lower than those of the total regular force (RR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.1-0.2). Operator suicide ideation crude rates were 70% lower than rates for SOF support personnel (RR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.3) and 80% lower than those of the total regular enlisted force (RR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.2), whereas suicide death rates did not differ." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

Fact-checked episodes

The Mental Frame & Specific Daily Actions to Succeed | Andy StumpfHuberman Lab · as guest

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