Andy Stump Reveals What It Was Like to Screen For DEVGRU Right After 9/11

About this video

Andy Stumpf discusses his experience screening for DEVGRU (SEAL Team Six) in October 2001, shortly after 9/11. He describes the significant differences between conventional SEAL teams and DEVGRU, primarily citing superior budget, equipment, and a more kinetically-focused training approach centered on close quarters combat. Stumpf also reflects on his time as a BUD/S instructor and his views on military politics and leadership within the SEAL community.

Key takeaways

• Stumpf argues the main difference between DEVGRU and conventional teams is budget-driven access to equipment and facilities, allowing more focused training on kinetic operations rather than being ‘jack of all trades, master of none’
• Stumpf recounts deliberately not voting while in the military, believing that as an action arm of foreign policy, he should not influence its direction
• Stumpf describes his BUD/S instructor tour as potentially the most rewarding of his career, focusing on treating students fairly while using psychological tactics to identify those who would become overwhelmed under pressure

Episode details: published April 29, 2026 · 14.2K views · 26:41 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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