Matthew Ammel Bio, Age, Height, Wife, Family, Career, Net Worth

Matthew Ammel is a name that leapt from the shadows of elite military service into the headlines of Capitol Hill. The retired U-S Army Special Forces engineer sergeant turned high-level legislative security chief went from breaching Taliban compounds to walking Senate corridors—and, in 2026, into a media storm involving former Senator kyrsten sinema. Whether you know him as a decorated Green Beret, a landscape-design dabbler, or the bodyguard at the center of a headline-grabbing lawsuit, Ammel’s résumé reads like three action-packed careers in one.

Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Raised in rural Wisconsin, Matt grew up beside a twin sister and an older red-headed brother—both siblings sport the family’s trademark ginger locks. He gravitated toward outdoor endurance sports early, later explaining that “if I could be anything, I’d be a professional triathlete.” After high school he enlisted in the Army, eventually completing the brutal Special Forces Assessment & Selection pipeline and earning the coveted Green Beret as an 18C (Engineer Sergeant). Schools included Airborne, Ranger, Dive, and finally specialized combat-engineering modules that taught everything from demolitions to well-digging in austere environments.

Military Career (2007-2022)

• Deployed multiple times to Afghanistan & Iraq with ODA (Operational Detachment-Alpha) teams.
• Specialized in route-clearance, IED defeat, and rapid infrastructure builds for village stability ops.
• Medically discharged in 2022 after sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and lingering migraine cluster headaches—conditions that would later push him into psychedelic-therapy advocacy.

Career Journey

1. Legislative Fellowship (2024-25)

Upon retirement he was tapped as Defense & National Security Fellow to then-Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), helping craft bipartisan military-personnel and veterans-affairs policy. Colleagues praised his “boots-on-the-ground” insight during NDAA mark-ups.

2. Private Security Detail Chief

Promoted to Sinema’s personal security chief in June 2024. Oversaw advance work, threat assessment, and daily protective operations during her tumultuous final Senate term.

3. Advocacy & Public Health

After Mexico-based ibogaine treatment dramatically reduced his migraine cycles, he lobbied alongside Sinema for federal psychedelic-research carve-outs, telling Phoenix New Times: “If soldiers can’t get care at home, they’ll find it elsewhere”.

4. Civilian Sector & Endurance Sports

Between contracts he freelances as a leadership instructor, competes in Ironman 70.3 events, and—true to his Wisconsin roots—still picks up landscape-design side projects for stress relief (a passion he once exercised professionally at JSD Inc.).

Career Stats & Milestones

• Rank at Retirement: Sergeant First Class (E-7)
• Campaigns: 5 combat deployments
• Awards: Bronze Star (w/ “V” device), Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (4), NATO Medal
• Congressional Fellowship: 1 major NDAA amendment passed (veteran psychedelic therapy pilot)
• Marathon PB: 3:09 (Milwaukee Lakefront, 2023)
• Security Detail Tenure: 19 months (ended January 2025)

Personal Life

Married for several years, Matt keeps his spouse and children entirely off the public grid—so successfully that only a January 2026 lawsuit (alleging an “improper relationship” with Sinema) even confirmed the marriage’s ongoing status. He and his wife are believed to split time between Phoenix and Washington when not at the family’s Wisconsin home base. Off duty he fuels his triathlon obsession (bike, swim, run), skis Utah back-country, and—ironically for a man once responsible for explosives—enjoys the quiet strum of an acoustic guitar.

Physical Statistics

• Height: 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
• Weight: 185 lb (84 kg) – varies with training load
• Chest: 44 in
• Waist: 33 in
• Biceps: 16 in
• Shoe: 11 US
• Hair: Short, reddish-brown
• Eyes: Blue
• Tattoos: Special Forces crest on right shoulder; coordinates of first deployment on ribcage

Awards & Honors

• Bronze Star with “V” Device (valor)
• Purple Heart (TBI incurred under fire)
• Army Commendation Medal (4 OL)
• National Defense Service Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge

Quotes

On Army life:
“Twelve-man teams teach you humility—when the guy next to you speaks Pashto better than you speak English, you learn to listen.”

On injury & healing:
“Iboga didn’t give me superpowers; it quieted the noise so I could hear myself think again.”

On protecting Sinema:
“Politics is loud; protection is silent—if I’m in the headlines, I’ve already failed.”

Controversies

January 2026 headlines ignited when a court filing—later obtained by multiple outlets—claimed Ammel engaged in an “inappropriate relationship” with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, contributing to his supervisor’s marital break-up. Both parties vehemently deny any wrongdoing; the case remains in sealed civil proceedings. Media interest has since amplified scrutiny of Ammel’s career timeline, though no criminal charges or ethics investigations have materialized.

Favorites

• Workout Fuel: Banana (“two a day = 100-year life,” he jokes)
• Post-Run Meal: Wisconsin cheese curds & craft IPA
• Musician: john prine
• Author: Tim O’Brien
• Holiday Spot: Boundary Waters, Minnesota (no cell reception)
• Artists (private collection): Kent Monkman, Kehinde Wiley

Salary & Net Worth

• Military Pension (E-7, 15 yrs): ≈ $38 k/year
• Private-Security Contract: $180–200 k/year (2024-25)
• Training & Consulting Gigs: variable, ~$50 k annually
• Real Estate Holdings: modest Wisconsin condo; no public luxury purchases
• Estimated Net Worth 2026: $1.2 – 1.5 million

Interesting Facts

1. Has never attended a Green Bay Packers or Milwaukee Bucks game—heresy for a lifelong Wisconsinite.
2. Once refereed youth soccer for $12 a match—his very first paid job.
3. Can finish a 1-mile swim in 23:45 (open-water).
4. Keeps the same 1985 Gibson acoustic he carried on deployments.
5. Collects vintage Coleman lanterns—owns 40+ restored pieces.

Social Media Links

• Instagram: Private (@matt_ammel – 350 followers)
• LinkedIn: Restricted professional profile (connections only)
• Twitter/X: None (deleted after headlines)
• Public Appearances: CSPAN footage (Senate office), endurance-race results pages

FAQs

Q: Is Matthew Ammel still in the military?
A: No—he retired in 2022 after 15 years of active service.

Q: What unit was he in?
A: U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) as an 18C Engineer Sergeant.

Q: How tall is he?
A: Approximately 5 ft 11 in (180 cm).

Q: Is the Kyrsten Sinema lawsuit public?
A: The complaint is filed under seal; only redacted excerpts have been published.

Q: Did ibogaine cure his migraines?
A: He reports a “90% reduction in frequency,” but stresses the treatment is experimental and not FDA-approved.

Q: Does he still compete in triathlons?
A: Yes—he raced Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin in 2025 and plans two events for 2026.

Conclusion

Matthew Ammel’s arc—from dairy-farm Wisconsin kid to battle-hardened Green Beret, policy whisperer on Capitol Hill, and reluctant tabloid figure—underscores the unpredictable trajectories of modern veterans. Whether advocating for psychedelic research, mentoring young soldiers, or logging miles on Ironman courses, he embodies resilience reinvested. As legal dust settles and headlines fade, expect Ammel to keep a lower profile, a watchful eye, and a steady pace toward whatever finish line he sets next.

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