Dave Canterbury - Pathfinder - Claims debunked

[Diesel]

Huh? This is a discussion forum correct? Have I violated forum rules, if I have I will quit posting.

I thought this place was different than Bushcrap USA. A place you can have an opinion on a subject without all the other BS.

Simply answer my question

[subject]

I personally don't think he has any connection with Dave.
I think he just has a strong dislike for bushcraftusa like I do.

Not a good place over there.

Correct on all 3 statements.

[subject]

Simply answer my question

N0!:D

I have no connection in anyway with Dave other than liking the show he is on.

What gripes me is a guy that starts making a little money jealous people come out of the woodwork to tear them down.

If he fabricated his resume that is completely wrong of him to do so. I am going to have to have something better than FOAL's word on the subject to think differently.

[Diesel]

To be honest I Doubt it has anything to do with money and everything to do with Stolen Valor and people who have done their time in the military and served this country take great offense to ANY flase military claims, and rightfully so, right?

So what are you here at our forum for, just to support Dave who you have never met and don't know? It's the only topic you have joined in on.

So what are you here to dispute that he never said he was a sniper? Or that he infact was one.

Bizzar that you came here to defend him, and are not citing the issues people have with him as money motivated? LOL

[subject]

To be honest I Doubt it has anything to do with money and everything to do with Stolen Valor and people who have done their time in the military and served this country take great offense to ANY flase military claims, and rightfully so, right?

So what are you here at our forum for, just to support Dave who you have never met and don't know? It's the only topic you have joined in on.

So what are you here to dispute that he never said he was a sniper? Or that he infact was one.

Bizzar that you came here to defend him, and are not citing the issues people have with him as money motivated? LOL

Yes rightfully so if and I say if it is true.

I have joined in on other topics check it out.

The show said he had sniper training can you prove different?

Did you mean Bizzare?

[Diesel]

First off his bio says he's a sniper on his own website, he was NEVER a sniper, second of all you're done here, don't let the door hit you in the ass Dave's friend.

[emergprep]

I agree that if claims were exagerated or out and out misleading then they need to be amended. That being said, my interest in Dave and the pathfinder school is not based on his military background, it is based on his bushcraft knowledge and the schools goals to certify teachers of this art. I have personally sent my money in an effort to do so. This cerftification will help in my endeavor to push some BSA education to a higher level as older scouts bail out becasue they are getting bored with the standard stuff. I will defend this effort to no end! My question to Deisel is this; Is my time done here as well? I would like to think not. I find this forum to be very well done and informative on many levels. Very little flaming and a good meeting of the minds so to speak. I personally think that maybe, just maybe this thread has gone way beyond the scope of things and needs to be locked out to prevent any further b/s to rise to the surface. k? JMHO, Todd

[Stitch]

I am not sure what can be proved or disproved other than looking at his SRB & DD214. The below is from Dave's website.

snip
He joined the U.S. Army at age 17, eventually becoming a Special Reaction Team (SRT) Team Leader and Trainer, SRT sniper and SRT scout. He trained soldiers in the U.S., Central America and Korea in unarmed combat and close-quarter techniques.
snip

http://www.thepathfinderschoolllc.com/BioPage.html

snip
DAVE CANTERBURY - Army-trained scout, sniper, hunter

Dave Canterbury has more than 20 years of combined military and civilian survival experience. He joined the U.S. Army at age 17, eventually becoming a Special Reaction Team (SRT) instructor and sniper. He trained soldiers in the U.S., Central America and Korea in unarmed combat and close-quarter techniques.
snip

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/dual-survival/bios/

[TennOutdoors]

all Ill say on this is DD 214 's arent exactly accurate. Mine has the Job I cross trained into as my primary, and left off my original primary and even got my rank wrong. and left off a variety of other things.

the only question I have, is how is it so easy to get some ones records. Ive been trying for years to get copies of my Dads records, first I had to prove I was his son, then provide his SSN, then supply more paperwork covering everything but the receipt for the new sink, and still havent managed to get a copy.

I second the motion Close the thread. we really dont need a flame war on this site. its a good site lets not drag it down. agree to disagree or Ill get the spoon out. LOL.

[hminus]

First off his bio says he's a sniper on his own website, he was NEVER a sniper, second of all you're done here, don't let the door hit you in the ass Dave's friend.

good call brother... I smelled the faint odor of damage control regarding his image...

BTW folks.. This should about cover The big D's first post...

Actual records

http://www.pownetwork.org/pownet.sec...id_michael.pdf

POW network Phonies
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies1160.htm

It appears that the folks on the bushcraft site simply called him out for statements made about being a Ranger and Paratrooper as well as a few other things. I just checked the internet archive to see if his original BIO was still out there. It is not... The fact is, many of the folks posting on the bushcraft site say they have SEEN these claims on his bio.. According to one post by the Pathfinder himself, he admits of a mistake and claimed it was his webmasters typo... Now.. be that as it may... It all boils down to one thing and one thing only.. do you believe one guy (Dave) or do you believe several people..

After reading many of the postings and responses by the Pathfinder, I lean towards Dave making false claims... Now, if that is true some may say whats does it matter... It may not matter to some of you.. It matters to me.. Not because I did my time in green, but because making those claims for pesonal gain is wrong..... It is wrong...

If he were some dude talking smack in a bar, I would not give it a second thought... If it was a guy running for public office, I would be pissed... If it was a TV personality... I would be pissed...

I would like to say that "IF" the Pathfinder made false claims with the intent of profiting from those claims, I would be pissed...

regarding the forum user "Subject".. I don't know who he is.. I don't care.. I do find it strange that out of all the stuff on this site, he picks this subject and this one only.. He is from Ohio and He just loves Dave... It is strange...

[Stitch]

all Ill say on this is DD 214 's arent exactly accurate.

I have two. They did not put my awards from my first enlistment on my second one. I can verify the above quote by TennOutdoors is accurate.

[Domdabears]

I second the motion Close the thread. we really dont need a flame war on this site. its a good site lets not drag it down. agree to disagree or Ill get the spoon out. LOL.

I third that motion.

[hminus]

Really said right in there he trained as a sniper yep damage control alrighty.:rolleyes:

That is not sniper school my friend... sniper school is a five week course.. That was some MP in house familiarization..

besides his original claims were much bigger than that..

See the following taken from the bushcraft site:
I used to be a big fan of Dual Survival and Dave Canterbury ever since he started on youtube, but recent events have come to light that caused me to lose ALL respect for him. Lying about military service is inexcusable in my opinion. Dave (who goes by the username “PATHFINDER”) admitted publicly he made false claims that he was an Army Ranger to embellish his resume. Apparently the real Army Rangers and many military personnel are appalled. He then removed that information when cast for the Dual Survivor series on Discovery knowing that claim was fraudulent.

Q: “...Please tell us Dave, did you ever claim to be an Army Ranger?”
A: “NO I have served with Ranger units in CA in the 80's on the same checkpoints and patrols and I dont even publisize that!...”

This previous quote from him was then posted:
“As an Ex Army Ranger,Survival Instructor,and Extreme Hunter I expect alot from my gear. It is for that reason that the gear advertised for sale on this site has all been tested by myself and my son in a variety of extreme conditions. When your life depends on what little you carry-Buy from Wilderness Outfitters. We appreciate your business.”

His response:
“I will not try to say that is not my quote and yes after working with ranger units extensivley in CA I do feel one of them but that quote was removed from my site ALONG time ago!...”


Read the whole story for yourself here:

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showth...t=3851&page=11

Also.. evidence of the ranger statement still exists.. I just found it on a 2008 blog for his outfitters site..

http://americanbushman.blogspot.com/2008/03/i-got-email-last-night-from-phil.html

[Gray Suirrel]

Well with all thats been said about Dave Canterbury, and from watching him on the Discovery show, I tend to think the reports on him about false claims he made are most likely true. He seems a bit arrogant and condecending,
especially towards the other guy in the show. Maybe he's just a "legend in his own mind" . So if the reports of false claims are true, he should come forward and appologize to everyone. Discovery Channel needs to do a better job on background checks on the people they put on these kind of shows. And maybe they need to get rid of himon that show.

[Gray Suirrel]

Ok well "special reaction team is the military version of "SWAT" taught at the Army's MP school. its not a spec ops unit, so maybe he needs to explain that more in his credentials. Misinformation gets used alot by folks, kind of the " if you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, you baffle 'em with bs" At any rate , if he's lied, regardless of what skills he gives out to people, his integrity is greatly dimminished. I am sure this can go on forever, but why not just forget about him and get on with more important things. If he lied, bad karma will come to him sometime.