Grady Powell

Grady Powell was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. In 2007, he chose to leave a scholarship at the University of Missouri, Columbia (Mizzou) to join the Army. By 2009, he achieved the distinction of becoming a Green Beret, one of the youngest soldiers to do so, serving in the United States Army Special Forces. During his military career, Powell completed tours in the Middle East and Africa, supporting operations such as Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and Enduring Freedom. His military background includes expertise in small arms, mobility, and survival.

Following his departure from the Army in January 2012, Powell spent several months backpacking across various countries in Europe, starting with Lisbon, Portugal. His entry into the entertainment industry began during this period when he participated in a television commercial for a Portuguese cell service provider. His backpacking trip was cut short after he was contacted by Metal Flowers Media to join Mark Burnett and Dick Wolff’s NBC production, “Stars Earn Stripes” in 2012. This marked a significant turning point, leading to a career in television that leveraged his military and survival skills.

Powell has since become recognized for his roles in various survival and competition series. He appeared as a self on “Ultimate Survival Alaska” (2013-2015) for 19 episodes and “Dual Survival” (2016) for 17 episodes. In 2017, he served as a Cadre on “American Grit” for 10 episodes. His career progressed to hosting when he took over “Forged in Fire” on the History channel, starting in Season 8 in 2020 and continuing through 2023 for 3 episodes. He is also the co-founder of Haxe Fitness, established in January 2024, and hosts the “Forging the Path” podcast, further building on his public figure presence. He currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri.