Season 2 of Outlast, a hit reality survival series from Netflix, puts contestant Bri Walston front and center as fans look to see what she's all about.
Produced by Jason Bateman's Aggregate Films, Outlast follows a cast of solo survivalists teamed up and forced to outlast one another. They must make their way through the terrain with only the land around them to pursue a $1 million cash prize.
The Season 2 cast includes Brianna Walston (better known as Bri), a longtime survivalist from Las Vegas, Nevada. Unfortunately, Walston was eliminated in the first part of Outlast Season 2, although fans are still itching to learn about her.
5 Things To Know about Outlast's Bri Walston
Brianna Walston Has Several College Degrees
Besides her passion for the outdoors and the wilderness, Walston has a passion for education, as shown by her various college degrees over the years.
As listed on her LinkedIn page, she has five degrees from five different programs, most of which were awarded with top marks.
The two most recent are a master’s degree in Business Administration and Management (Purdue Global) and a Master of Legal Studies, Conflict Resolution, and Corporate and Healthcare Compliance (Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University). She earned both of these in 2021.
She previously earned bachelor’s degrees in Social and Criminal Justice from Ashford University and the University of Arizona Global Campus. In addition, she has an AA degree in Criminal Justice from the Community College of the Air Force.
Brianna Is an Air Force Veteran
As discussed on The Roaming Vet website, Bri Walston served her country in the line of duty with the United States Air Force.
While completing her bachelor's degree, Walston also worked to become a commissioned officer and pilot for the Air Force. She hoped to acquire her private pilot's license and worked as an Executive Assistant for higher enlisted and officer leaders.
Unfortunately, after a six-year run with the Air Force, she was medically separated due to injuries she suffered in training and on deployment. Those injuries led to two hip surgeries, and she was later disqualified from commissioning.
She discussed her time with the Air Force with Shout Out Colorado, noting how her separation left her "feeling a lack of passion and purpose:"
"Before starting content creation and photography, I would often ask myself how I was different from other people with similar interests. I felt that I wasn’t unique in a way that would really set me apart. But I am different. I was on active duty in the Air Force for six years, aspiring to become a pilot, working on my private pilot’s license, in a high-profile position, with several high awards and accomplishments. However, I was medically separated. This left me feeling a lack of passion and purpose."
She spent about a year figuring out her place outside of the Armed Forces, explaining how deeply tied to the military she was and how she "struggled with PTSD, anxiety, and depression:"
"It took about a year for me to discover who I was outside of the military because it was all I knew as an adult and I thought I would stay in until I retired. It wasn’t easy because I struggled with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and I left a 3-year relationship because our interests no longer aligned. I spent a lot of time being scared."
Bri Is the CEO of The Roaming Vet
Over the last few years, Walston has built up her profile as a businesswoman. She owns and operates two separate businesses.
As detailed with Shout Out Colorado, one of those businesses is BriWalston, which she uses for her outdoor content creation and photography. She hopes to inspire people to "get outside [and] see the world," sometimes doing it while scared:
"Well, I have two businesses. One is BriWalston, for my Travel and Outdoor Adventure content creation, photography, and User Generated Content (UGC). This platform inspires others to get outside, see the world, and doing it scared because sometimes you have to do it solo! I also work with brands I love and support to market their products to my community."
The other is The Roaming Vet, which she created as a community for veterans and Armed Forces members to "connect in the outdoors and through travel."
She started this business to give people something she did not have after she left the military, opening the door to start "a community that had similar interests and passions in the outdoors:"
"My other business is The Roaming Vet, a community for Veterans, Service Members, and Veterans to connect in the outdoors and through travel. My thought process behind starting The Roaming Vet was that I found other outdoor communities, like the amazing group, Outsiders, Together. However, I felt like I wasn't finding the community that I was missing after I separated from the military. A community that had similar interests and passions in the outdoors, and who understood the struggles of the military and separation. I also found that other service members and veterans were lacking in this community, too. Thus, The Roaming Vet was born. I really struggled after leaving the military and found passion and purpose in the outdoors. My goal is to help others find that, too!"
Bri Has a Dog Named Chandler
Walston is also an animal lover, as seen by her relationship with her Australian Shepherd, Chandler.
Per an Instagram reel she shared in July, Walston recalled getting her dog "immediately after [she] returned to Alaska" after her deployment. Chandler was an eight-week-old puppy when she first went home with Walston, and they have been together for most of the last seven years:
"My dog’s name is Chandler & I got her immediately after I returned to Alaska from my deployment. She has been with me since she was around 8 weeks old & is almost 7 "
She posts regularly about Chandler on Instagram, describing the animal as her "best friend, soul dog, adventure companion, confidant, & biggest cuddler:"
"I don’t think anyone can prepare you for the dog you get in your 20s to become your best friend, soul dog, adventure companion, confidant, & biggest cuddler.
There is no doubt that this is a love I will uniquely experience only once in my lifetime.
For everyone who is here to see Chandler - thank you for loving her"
Her love for her puppy also goes into her work, as she promotes the Rad Dog Collar from Niteize and uses it for Chandler.
Bri's Time on Outlast Season 2 Was One of the Most Thrilling Experiences in Her Life
Over the last few months, Walston has been optimistic about her time on Outlast Season 2.
After she was announced to be in the cast, she took to Instagram to call the experience "one of the most challenging & thrilling experiences" she'd ever had:
"THE SECRET IS OUT. From outdoor enthusiast to survivalist??? Join me in re-experiencing one of the most challenging & thrilling experiences of my LIFE alongside 15 strangers as we are dropped into the wilderness of Alaska on the @netflix survival reality show 'Outlast' Season 2."
On TikTok, she detailed the experience further, calling her time on the show "truly a once in a lifetime opportunity" while telling fans how she got involved.
She reflected on her experience with the outdoors and how she was "reached out to by someone on their team" before submitting a casting tape and moving forward with the series:
"Competing on a survival show on @netflix & getting dropped into the wilderness of Alaska with complete strangers is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity & I think it’s a common curiosity on how people end up on these shows, qualifying, & everything in between.
To be honest, I don’t know their list of exactly what they’re looking for in skills, experience, personalities, etc.
All I know is my outdoor experience:
I grew up fishing, hiking, camping, & when I moved into adulthood, I started hunting/bow hunting with friends & exes, spending hours at archery ranges, spent six years in the military, & expanding my outdoor education.
On the back side, I was reached out to by someone on their team & submitted a casting tape showcasing my experience & skills. Which, I hope to elaborate more on soon "
How To Follow Bri Walston Online
Those looking to keep up with Bri Walston on social media can do so through her pages on Instagram (@briwalston), YouTube (@BriWalston), and TikTok (@briwalston).
The first batch of episodes in Outlast Season 2 is streaming on Netflix. Part 2 arrives on Wednesday, September 11.
