I know why you are here. You want EJs’ coveted merchandise. Well, here you go! This is the LINK. Now, for those who desire to learn and get to know EJ Snyder on a more personal level. Have you ever had a person come into your life through one means or another and cause you to reevaluate the type of man you are? Like really make you feel inadequate in a way that makes you want to be better? For me, that’s EJ Snyder, the Skull crusher, a highly decorated Army combat veteran with 25 years of military service. A mans’ man. One of those types that if you got stuck in a tough situation you would want to have him there to back you up. Lets take a look at what makes this titan of man so successful.
Something I found in my search for information on EJ is that he has an extensive military career. Maybe, this is what enables him to complete every challenge he sets out to complete. During his service in the Army, he served as a ranger in the Infantry and Airborne divisions. EJ grew up in New Jersey and joined the armed forces when he was 19. The serviceman rose through the ranks quickly, seeing combat both in the Gulf War in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. That’s right, EJ is a badass! With 5 Naked and Afraid challenges, soon to be 6 under his belt, he is an actual badass in real life, a man who has fought for the freedoms of every American.
He was in the US Army Ranger School when he received his first formal Survival Training and fell in love with the concept, so he began self-studying it. In the course of his duties as a Ranger Instructor, he attended US Army Survival School (SERE-C) and Tracking Course, becoming the Primary Survival and Tracking Instructor.
As a former US Army SERE Commander, EJ worked as a Government Contractor teaching Survival Skills to future Green Berets. EJ has a motto in the wild and on the battlefield that is: ‘Tua Sponte Superstes,’ “Survive by my own will.” EJ has taught survival skills to civilians and soldiers ever since, for well over 20 years.
In addition to being an extreme survivalist, EJ practices “Train as you Fight” by pushing not only the limits of your environment, but also from within. It would seem as if EJ enjoys continually being pushed to his limits, and he is constantly trying to break those limits. To reach the level of survivalist that he is and to share this lesson with others, he has pushed himself into many extreme survival situations and environments. A few simple items and no notice are all it takes for EJ to survive in the wild, making it out of dangerous situations where no man should go.
Even after 20 years, EJ still teaches survival skills, speaks about motivation, and helps veterans and charities. Aside from Naked and Afraid on The Discovery Channel, The Art of Survival With EJ Snyder, 72 Hours on TNT, and Patton 360 on The History Channel, EJ has appeared in a host of other T.V. and film projects.
Now that we got all the professional stuff out of the way, let’s get to some of the super good stuff. I had the opportunity to have a deep conversation with the one celebrity I look up to most. It is not every day a writer can say that! I asked EJ the top three questions I felt would magnify the perception I have of him to an even higher position. Once again, he did not disappoint. He offered up a side of himself and some stories that not even Naked and Afraid showed to its nearly 200 million plus worldwide viewers.
“EJ, out of all the seasons of Naked and Afraid what has been the toughest moments,” I asked.
“Toughest moment of all my Naked and Afraid adventures was when I was in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria in my “Naked and Afraid Alone” episode at 3500 feet. I had a tough day and was exhausted on day 15 because it was so cold at night even with the fire, I wasn’t getting a lot of sleep. The wood I had to burn was mostly dead fall so the coals weren’t good. I came back from a 2 hour walk about, stoked my fire up, and went and laid down in the shade to rest. I fell out. When I woke up my fire was completely out. I woke in deep concern as it was close to the end of the day and the only means of making fire for me was by bow drill. The fire was done and no coals to be found. I started bow drilling and as the sun went down, I was unable to get a coal. I prepared for the night ahead the best I could trying to make a nest out of the tall yellow grass and bury myself under it. As night fell the mountain cold winds blew and the temperatures plummeted into the high 20s. I was in for a long cold night. I started to move around trying to stay warm. Jumping, running in place, walking around just trying to keep my core body temp on check. I tried to bow drill a few more times but it was so dark and cold. No luck. Then I could hear the hogs moving In and that was a dangerous thing. I moved away from my camp to the woods between my camp to the dried riverbed to stay safe and try to bury myself in dry leaves to rest. No luck. The hogs left after several hours of gorging and then all was quiet. I continued the fight to keep frostbite at bay and not become a casualty of Hypothermia. It was definitely a long night after 14 of the longest nights of my life, shortly later I moved to the open meadow field in the pre-dawn. I sat down and waited for my friend, the sun, while meditating, praying, and regrouping. Legs crossed, palms to the sky, back straight, and eyes closed, as the sun peaked the mountain ridge and, I felt its welcomed warmth. That’s about the time the camera crew rolled in, and I heard a whisper. “Son of a bitch, he’s still here!” I rose like the warrior I am, turned to face them, and proclaimed, “DAMN RIGHT I AM! BECAUSE I AM EJ FUCKING SNYDER!” Sadly this never made the cut. Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen or impact me less. I never understood why it didn’t as it showed perseverance, grit, determination, fight, steadfastness. That was tough!” EJ said.
“Wow! I would not have ever guessed,” I said.
“What has been the toughest moment in life non-TV related?” I went on.
“The toughest life moment was losing my kid brother a few weeks before his 22nd birthday. Roughest day of my life. We were close, all we had in our lives was each other, growing up poor, no other siblings, and tough towns. He and I were best friends. He was the greatest fisherman I ever knew. He struggled in life and his demons claimed him. Rest in peace brother. I love you.” EJ said.
“Wow, I’m so sorry to hear that, and thank you for sharing. You don’t really get to fully appreciate our heroes until you see the raw stuff that has shaped them behind closed doors and who really gets to do that? Right?” I stated.
I wanted to end this amazing interview by shedding some light on the positive aspects that compose the person I have followed for years. Ultimately, I wanted to know what powers the heart of such a titan of a man. I wanted to be able to decipher for myself and see if my assumptions were correct, and if they were able to withstand the smell test. I wanted to know if all this time spent out in the wild changed him. I wanted to know for sure if that was something that I also wanted. The final question I asked involved joy. That’s right! Joy.
“What three things bring you the most joy in your life?” I asked.
EJ replied with a resounding response, “First, it is those I deeply love, especially my kids. Secondly, it’s the wilderness and all its forms, weather, terrain, and living things. When I’m out there solo, it’s solitude and peace, the wind blowing in my face, the sun’s warmth, the moons’ glow, the wolves howl, the birds’ songs and the bees’ buzz, grass beneath my bare feet, the touch of the tree bark, a grounding spirit, the smell of wildflowers, and nature’s taste in its berries, nuts, and sweet honey. Lastly, I love living life to the fullest and sucking the bone marrow out of it. I love seeing all of its wonders, experiencing all it has to offer on every level, being in spirit and going with the flow. I have no bucket list because those things get kicked in the end. I just enjoy each step, breath and cherish them all.”
There is certainly no room for the boring with EJ. His passion and resilience seem to strengthen and inspire me moreover. The skull crusher got me excited about survival. Got me excited about the future for myself. Just like every time I see him on tv. Watching EJ every Sunday night has become a ritual for my family and me. We gather around, eat good food, drink cheap beer, and ponder what entertaining antics EJ will deliver. I have said if I ever get the opportunity to go in the wild and survive for 21 days, I would want EJ on my team. Somehow or another with EJ, the outdoors seems to have a homie touch. I forgot to mention when EJ built a boat and just decided to shimmy around the rivers! I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s still the outdoors, but he did all that starting out with practically nothing. That’s what I am saying! If you want to survive in the wilderness, and want to have at least a shred of a home vibe, you best have some Skull crusher knowledge in the old noodle.
EJ left me with this, in the manner that I would not have expected any other way. Brazen, bold, and kind.
“I am the most interesting man in the entire world for real! I’ll always adventure, always inspire, and ALWAYS be there to help if needed. Just holler! Live life, be passionate and smile!” E.J. exclaimed.
EJ has a website where his coveted merchandise can be found. That website is HERE. Sign up for his email newsletter so you can stay up to date on all things EJ Snyder. Likewise, check him out on all his social media platforms.
E.J. Snyder (@ejsnyder333) on Twitter and Instagram, and also on Facebook, where he is a verified Public Figure.
Citations.
Home Page. EJ Snyder. (2022, June 12). Retrieved June 15, 2022, from https://ejsnyder.com/
IMDb.com. (n.d.). E.J. Snyder. IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3473527/
Twitter. (n.d.). EJ Synder Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved June 15, 2022, from https://twitter.com/ejsnyder333?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Facebook. Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2022, from https://www.facebook.com/EJScrapIronSnyder
Jonathon M. Poe 