Sam Eckholm
Sam Eckholm | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Eckholm in 2025 | |
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| Awards | Air Force Commendation Medal, Forbes 30 under 30 |
Sam Eckholm is an American United States Air Force veteran, influencer, and documentarian. He is best known for his YouTube videos, which have been described as taking viewers behind the scenes of the military. He was listed in Forbes 30 under 30 in 2026.
Biography
[edit]Eckholm is the son of an Air Force pilot, and attended high school in Dallas. After high school, he attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he graduated in 2018.[1] He studied legal studies. After college, he became a public affairs officer for the Air Force,[2] where he first worked with the F-22 Raptor demonstration team for two years before moving to work with Air Mobility Command.[3]
He left active duty in 2023,[4] and subsequently relocated to San Francisco, where he launched SE Media. He partnered with the United States Air Force in 2024, and subsequently partnered with both the Air Force and the United States Space Force in 2025.[3] He launched his new series Access Granted in 2026.[5]
He describes himself as a storyteller, not an influencer.[2] His videos, of which he's created more than three dozen,[6] are one of the most watched aerospace and defense video series in the world.[4] His episodes have focused on topics including Navy crews in the Arctic[6] and Iceland, the Royal Air Force, the Swedish Navy,[2] and the F35B fighter jet, as well as his father flying the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.[7]
In addition to the Air and Space Forces, he has partnered with NATO, the United States Secret Service, Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Pratt & Whitney. He is signed with CAA.[8]
As of 2026, he had over 2.5 million followers.[9] He has had over one billion views.[3]
His nine-video partnership with the United States Air Force and United States Space Force was awarded a Shorty Award.[10] Eckholm was also listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Social Media section in 2026.[9]
He also teaches a course called the "Air Force Academy Blueprint".[7]
Personal life
[edit]Eckholm is openly gay. He is engaged to fellow aviation-focused influencer Swayne Martin.[11] They have been in a relationship for over six years.[12][13]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Long Blue Leadership: Sam Eckholm '18 - Association & Foundation". usafa.org. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- 1 2 3 Lindsay, Douglas (2025-12-02). "How Sam Eckholm Is Bringing America Closer to Its Military – One Story at a Time". Military.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- 1 2 3 USVM (2026-04-02). "Sam Eckholm: Cover Story │U.S. Veterans Magazine". U.S. Veterans Magazine. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- 1 2 Corbeil, Shannon (2025-09-22). "Air Force veteran Sam Eckholm is focused on good military stories and stunning imagery". We Are The Mighty. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ "Military creator launching new documentary series". NewsNation. Jan 15, 2026.
- 1 2 Mastrangelo, Dominick (2026-07-08). "Sam Eckholm grants rare access to military ops with YouTube docuseries". The Hill. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- 1 2 Ammons, Abby (2025-12-06). "Forbes 30 Under 30 veteran content creator opens up about the man who influenced him - Military Veterans". Military Families. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ Vlessing, Etan (2025-10-21). "YouTuber Sam Eckholm Signs With CAA (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- 1 2 "Sam Eckholm". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ "9 Video Partnership Series: SE Media/Sam Eckholm & US Air Force/US Space Force - The Shorty Awards". shortyawards.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-09-16.
- ↑ Eckholm, Sam. "Ending the year". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ Eckholm, Sam. "Celebrating one year". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.