Ej Snyder

Errol James “EJ” Snyder, Jr. was born on December 3, 1965, in Englewood, New Jersey. He enlisted in the United States Army at 19, beginning a distinguished 25-year military career that included service in Ranger positions within Infantry and Airborne units. Snyder saw combat during the Gulf War in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004, where he earned two Bronze Star Medals and the Legion of Merit. He gained the nickname “Skullcrusher” while serving as a Drill Sergeant and also held roles as a Ranger Instructor and a Survival & Tracking Instructor, receiving formal survival training at the US Army Survival School (SERE-C). Upon retiring as a Sergeant Major in 2009, Snyder continued to share his expertise by teaching survival skills to Green Berets and other soldiers as a Government Contractor at the US Army SERE School.

Snyder’s career progressed into the entertainment industry, where he became recognized for his extreme survival philosophy, which emphasizes pushing physical and environmental limits. He appeared on Discovery Channel’s “Naked and Afraid” three times, successfully completing challenges including a 21-day survival in Tanzania and becoming the first person to complete two challenges on the show during “Man vs. Amazon.” His television presence expanded to include “72 Hours” on TNT, “Dual Survival” on Discovery Channel (hosting Season 9 with Jeff Zausch), and “Patton 360” on History Channel. He also appeared as Redfern in five episodes of “Lost” between 2008 and 2010. Snyder’s filmography includes roles in movies such as “Survival T.V. The Movie!” (2016) and “Redlove: The Art and Consequence of Illusion” (2008).

Beyond his television work, Snyder is an active motivational speaker and entrepreneur. He operates Skullcrusher Outdoors, offering survival classes and gear, and co-owns several ventures including Armed Forces Brewing Company, Freedom Pickles, and Hard Working Sauce Co. He is dedicated to philanthropic efforts, supporting veteran causes, suicide prevention, and homeless outreach, and participates in disaster relief. Snyder lives by his motto: “Tua Sponte Superstes” (Survive By Your Own Will), and continues to teach survival skills and engage in challenging expeditions. In 2022, he served as a mentor on “Naked and Afraid XL” Season 8 in the Amazon, undertaking all challenges alongside the contestants.