Kel Gleason

Kel Gleason is a contestant from.

He is famous for being accused by Jerri Manthey of smuggling beef jerky into the Outback.

Profile
Captain Kel Gleason is an Intelligence Officer in the United States Army. He has a bachelor's degree in radio/television communications and has completed work toward a Masters degree in telecommunications at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Before entering the Army, Gleason worked as a production assistant for CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Radio.

Gleason was commissioned in the Army in 1996 and immediately posted to Germany for three years. While posted there, he was a platoon leader and a battalion staff officer for intelligence and security. During that same period, he was also assigned to Bosnia in conjunction with the peacekeeping operation there. On visits home, Gleason enjoys camping, fishing, and kayaking with his dad, a retired professor. In addition, he is avidly interested in his South American Indian (Quechuan) heritage, particularly its history, art, and cuisine. He loves to cook, having learned his culinary skills from his Peruvian mother, who teaches gourmet cooking in the family home. Gleason's hobbies include weightlifting, running, rollerblading, snorkeling, photography, and skiing.

Born in Murphysboro, Illinois, Gleason and his family moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, where he lived until he completed high school. After graduation, Gleason moved back to the United States and has been based here ever since.

On visits home, Gleason enjoys camping, fishing, and kayaking with his dad, a retired professor. In addition, he is avidly interested in his South American Indian (Quechuan) heritage, particularly its history, art, and cuisine. He loves to cook, having learned his culinary skills from his Peruvian mother, who teaches gourmet cooking in the family home. Gleason's hobbies include weightlifting, running, rollerblading, snorkeling, photography, and skiing.

Currently single, Gleason recently relocated to Fort Hood, Texas. His birth date is January 5, 1968.

Survivor: The Australian Outback
Kel lasted only 6 days in the Outback. He got the boot mainly because tribemate Jerri Manthey accused him of holding out on the tribe by smuggling beef jerky in his kit bag. He then rebutted that he was not eating beef jerky. Instead, he was licking grass. Gleason tried to earn his tribemates' trust by offering his shaving kit (his luxury item) to the females. Despite this, the tribe deemed him untrustworthy, and when their tribe lost their first Immunity Challenge, he was unanimously eliminated in a 7-1 vote.

Trivia

 * Kel's luxury item was a Shaving Kit. After the beef jerky incident, he offered one blade to the men and one to the women.
 * Kel and Colby Donaldson are the first contestants from Texas.
 * Kel is the first Hispanic-American contestant on Survivor.