The Truth About EJ Snyder From Naked And Afraid XL
He is set to transition into TV's favorite combat veteran, and we see no reason for him not to.
EJ Snyder, the self-proclaimed "GOAT" and "badass" — as stated on his Instagram bio — is best known for his appearance on Discovery Channel's Naked and Afraid, which has been around since 2013. He's also appeared on other TV segments, including TNT's 72 Hours and History Channel's Patton 360.
The vet has been a part of the Infantry and Airborne units. According to his IMDb, he has served 25 years with the military. EJ is an outdoor-type guy, who loves nature and likes exploring while ensuring he's alive at the end of it.
EJ is prolific too. It's evident by the work he does on TV, putting aside years of rigorous fieldwork with the army that may have included extreme survival scenarios. EJ never seems to give up on being tough.
His appearance as one of the 12 survivalists on Discovery's Naked and Afraid XL only confirms his image of a tough veteran on the screen who, like other survivalists, has a point to prove.
However, there's so much to EJ that invites curiosity and makes you want to watch him on TV.
EJ Snyder had a tough start, which made him obsessed with survival
It's tough to talk about being tough in challenging circumstances, tougher to demonstrate survival skills in challenging circumstances. The fact that EJ Snyder seems to have covered it all comes from his background.
EJ's Discovery profile reveals that he joined the U.S. army at the age of 19. He served in the military for 25 years, which sharpened his survival skills — little may he have known that they'd come in handy when he shows them off (perhaps with the same sharpness) years later on a TV show.
He learned how to camp, hunt, trap animals, hike, raft, and rock climb — everything that's needed to stay alive outdoors under unfavorable circumstances. He could even ward off bears — as his shown in Naked and Afraid. For EJ, survival became an obsession. He was eager to learn the different aspects of it.
The years of learning and trying paid off. EJ retired with the rank of a Sergeant Major and continued his work as a survivalist, eventually finding his way to television.
EJ Snyder prides himself on surviving
For EJ Snyder, survival wasn't just a job that he retired from after 25 years. There hasn't been an occupation other than being on top of his senses and reflexes for him. Even after his retirement, he continued to live by his motto — a belief that called him to survive by his own will. Tua Sponte Superstes, as he calls it.
EJ's survival instinct takes him back to his childhood when he stood up against bullying. His bio states that this is when he started to lift weights and bulk up. He also disciplined himself in self-defense, which made him more familiar with his physical capacities.
There's no holding back for EJ. We think his eagerness to be in the influential social space will only help make him a figure so familiar that he might find a niche of his own in the future — a little satisfactory space on TV.