Tesla Cybertruck Las Vegas explosion: Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger’s suicide death revives questions about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

LAS VEGAS– Six years before he loaded a rented truck with mortars and gas canisters and shot himself in the head – which he called a “wake-up call” for America in a note later found by law enforcement – Army Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger told his ex-girlfriend that he was going through a crisis.

“Sometimes I feel so hopeless and depressed, it’s true (complementary) ridiculous,” he wrote via text message, at one point describing a close-range shooting in which he killed two people.

“Definitely the worst of my life,” he wrote in 2018.

The violent death of Livelsberger, a 37-year-old decorated war veteran and Green Beret, on New Year’s Day revives questions about the unique risks military personnel, especially special operations forces, face in their jobs and what to do to identify members in crisis .

Experts say the military has dramatically increased access to mental health support in recent years, but special forces in particular remain vulnerable, partly out of fear that if they seek help, their careers will be sidelined.

SOF personnel are more often exposed to various types of serious psychological trauma that may cause post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as repeated shocking shots from a high-powered weapon which military officials say causes scarring and other physical changes to the brain.

Acute stress and relationship problems can also cause a person’s mental health to deteriorate. In a 2020 study sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command that examined the suicides of 29 special operations personnel, almost all of them experienced emotional trauma during their first tour of duty. However, the study showed that other issues were also taken into account.

“The trajectory of deterioration, which includes relationship problems, financial issues and legal issues, occurs over many years,” the report said, noting the typical “large number of variables.”

In Livelsberger’s case, the Army will soon have to decide whether nearly two decades of service as a Special Forces soldier in nine deployments overseas contributed to his death.

Enlisted in the military in 2006 to train as a Special Forces member, Livelsberger became a member of the 10th Special Forces Group, which conducts counterterrorism and training missions around the world. He served in Afghanistan five times and also spent time in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo.

Livelsberger was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with the Instrument of Valor, for bravery under fire. He was also awarded the Army Commendation Medal for valor.

His former girlfriend Alicia Arritt, who exchanged text messages with Livelsberger on ABC News, said she remembered the Green Beret as a funny, generous and kind person who loved children. He also liked art, basketball and fast cars. She said he wasn’t impulsive.

If the Army determines that his suicide was due to his service and “performance of duty,” Livelsberger’s survivors would receive increased benefits.

Due to an ongoing FBI investigation, the Army said only that Livelsberger participated in a holistic treatment program offered to Special Forces called the Strength and Family Protection program, but that there were no red flags. The program, called POTFF, provides “physical, cognitive, medical resources and support appropriate for each individual.”

A spokesman said Livelsberger, who was stationed in Germany at the time, had not behaved “inappropriately” and had granted him work leave shortly before his death.

“We encourage our Soldiers if they need help, mental health treatment or someone to talk to to seek proactive behavioral health treatment on base or online. They also have the opportunity to talk to a military chaplain,” Brig. Gen. Gen. Amanda Azubuike, the army’s chief of public affairs, said in a statement.

Dr. Rachel Yehuda, a professor of psychiatry and trauma neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, says there are risk factors that seem to explain why some people are more susceptible to PTSD than others.

This may include a person’s family history, exposure to trauma at a young age, and biological factors that may make it difficult for a person to “recalibrate” their nervous system after a traumatic event.

Yehuda, who is not involved in Livelsberger’s case and would not discuss his specific situation, said the trauma soldiers experience in combat can be particularly difficult because it often happens overseas when members are away from close family and friends who can provide support. She said this support system can be crucial in calming the nervous system.

“I think we need to understand that trauma is real. And it can really be detrimental to your mental health, especially if you’re not in an environment where people can help you deal with all the things you’re carrying around,” she said.

Fran Racioppi, a former 10th Special Forces Group officer who hosts a podcast about Green Berets and leadership, said the profile of a Green Beret soldier is unique because he is someone who is “extremely compassionate” while also being able to go war and maintain the highest standards in combat.

“Whenever we are faced with an incident where a special operator’s behavior deviates dramatically from the standard profile, we need to understand the root cause of this change and the factors that may trigger a complaint,” he said.

Racioppi said he believes resources exist to support staff like Livelsberger.

“But the first step will always be the operator’s self-assessment and willingness to seek help on their own,” he said.

A SOCOM-sponsored study conducted by the American Association of Suicidology found at the time of its review, from 2012 to 2015, that many employees were reluctant to raise their hands for fear of being sidelined, and suicide prevention training was viewed as a “tick a box” exercise.

Livelsberger’s ex-girlfriend Arritt said he told her he was afraid of getting help “because he wouldn’t be fit for duty.”

Sara Wilkinson, suicide prevention campaigner Navy A SEAL husband died by suicide and said that while post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be common in the military, it is not an arbitrary label that can be used to explain everyone’s experiences. Wilkinson’s husband, Chad, was found to have suffered from a unique type of brain scarring found in other deceased Navy SEALs.

Service members should know that their life stories can also demonstrate tremendous resilience, she said.

“The point is that you were served. “It comes at a price because of our last 20-plus years” of war, she said. “And you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and your life to be your own advocate, physically and mentally.”

ABC News’ Alexandra Myers, Alex Stone, Matt Seyler and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are worried about a friend or loved one, call or text Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.