Gabe Suarez ?

[Whirlwind06]

Some how I got on this guys email list.
http://www.suarezinternational.com/
Maybe I signed up for it who knows, I roam far and wide online sometimes.
Anyway, anybody heard of this guy? I was looking at his course schedule. http://www.suarezinternational.com/tech.html
And some of the classes look interesting. Plus he will be in my area.
The Close Range Gunfighting and Interactive Gunfighting (Force On Force). Look interesting to me.

Thanks

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Erich]

I've known Gabe online for years now. He'd be my first choice for firearms training.

[BCurry1]

I read one of his books "Tactical Pistol Marskmanship". I really liked the book, but alot of people had some bad things to say about him, I dont remember what was said. Ill do a search and see if I can find the thread.

[David III]

I think he's one of those people where you either love him or hate him... his forum is warriortalk.com and he's written a few books. If you do a search, you'll find him mentioned in several threads.
Whatever you decide about him, I would recommend his book "The Combative Perspective: The Thinking Man's Guide to Self-Defense"
His training, views and methods are controversial. Personally, I haven't made any judgment either way, I find some of what he says to be really interesting.
If you go to one of his courses, please let us know what you thought.

[enidpd804]

I have his book on the tactical shotgun. I thought it was pretty good.

[Blackhawk6]

I own a few of Gabe Suarez's books and I have read a few of his articles. Some of what he has to say is thought-provoking, some of what he has to say I disagree with.

Normally, I would be inclined to take a course from him were the opportunity to present itself. Unfortunately, the fact that Mr. Suarez pled guilty to Workers Compensation fraud while a police officer is a deal breaker for me. Some people do not consider this to be an issue when it comes to selecting a firearms trainer. I do. I do not lie, cheat or steal, nor do I tolerate those who do. Quite honestly, I have serious reservations about those who would willing associate with someone known to have lied, cheated and/or stolen.

There are a number of equally-qualified instructors who have not compromised their integrity by committing a crime.

[QKShooter]

A very interesting and noteworthy perspective on personal integrity being the determining factor in making an educated selection of instructors.

[oilman]

I Unfortunately, the fact that Mr. Suarez pled guilty to Workers Compensation fraud while a police officer is a deal breaker for me. .

Can you provide more info? If someone made a mistake in his life is he therefore blackballed for life in your opinion? Just curious.

Have several of his books and a video. Found them useful....

[DDGator]

This has been discussed ad nauseum on a lot of forums -- Glock Talk, the High Road, and others...

Essentially the allegations are that he went out on workers comp injury and was caught doing his training stuff and hiding the income by channeling it through his wife. He did plead guilty and serve jail time. He was fired from LAPD too. FWIW, Gabe certainly has his side of the story as well, and you can read his explanations too. I have heard his explanations from his mouth, and they seem credible to me.

He is also controversial in his training methods. He doesn't stick to the Gunsight/Cooper methods and tries to innovate -- some are critical of him for that. He also teaches in a way that is much more candid that many instructors are willing to be -- about the reality of interactions with the police after the shoot, the advtanges of having only one story when the shooting stops, etc. -- that many people find going a bit too far into legally grey areas. Others think he is the only one saying what needs to be said, and commend him for having the intestinal fortitude to say it.

He has also been accused of running unsafe classes, by defying the "square range" principal, and people can get swept with muzzles of loaded guns. I know -- it happened to me at a class.

I think Gabe is a very good instructor that has a gift for teaching and for writing. I enjoy his columns in CCM and his books. I took a lot of good info away from his Close Range Gunfighting class. Interestingly, I went to the class on short notice and I didn't know anything about him at the time... but everyone else there did.

As you can see, I am trying to present this is a balanced fashion. The decision as to who you want to take training from is a personal one.

[P95Carry]

The decision as to who you want to take training from is a personal one.

Major point from DDGator - because when you look around it is apparent that there is much diversity in the training world.

Who is ''right'' or ''wrong'' is so much a matter of perception and all the guys in the business have good things to offer overall. As with much teaching, the student has the option to ''take it or leave it'' with any aspects taught - extract from studies what they feel fills their personal niche.

Pro trainer ''X'' could argue vociferously with pro trainer ''Y'' - each insisting that his guy is the best and ultimate - this is simply the old opinion deal coming into play.

Gabe has taken some very heavy flack - I have read some - but I keep an open mind and look for the good - and he certainly seems to offer a lot.

[Redneck Repairs]

he's not for me and ill just leave it at that .

[Pickpocket]

... Quite honestly, I have serious reservations about those who would willing associate with someone known to have lied, cheated and/or stolen.

There are a number of equally-qualified instructors who have not compromised their integrity by committing a crime.

Well said.

[Blackhawk6]

A very interesting and noteworthy perspective on personal integrity being the determining factor in making an educated selection of instructors.

I consider a number of things when selecting instructor. Given the choice of of a competent instructor who has lied/stolen in the past or a competent instructor who has not, I'll choose the competent instructor who has not. If that makes integrity the determining factor, so be it. I tend to look at it as questionable integrity being a disqualifier.

Can you provide more info?

More info:
http://www.smmirror.com/volume2/issu...rs_charged.asp

If someone made a mistake in his life is he therefore blackballed for life in your opinion? Just curious.

First, I do not consider fraud a mistake. It is a willful act. One does not "mistakenly" steal something or tell a lie. But I understand your point.

Instructional content issues aside, from a practical standpoint, I think Mr. Suarez's past would be a liability in the event I ever needed him to testify on my behalf. I am sure it could be used to call into question anything he might testify about and compromise his value as a witness.

From a personal standpoint, I place a high degree of importance on personal integrity. Personally, I think the world would be abetter place if eveyone else did too. Integrity is unique. It can not be taken from you, you have to give it (or throw it) away. Once it is gone, it is incredibly difficult to get it back. In fact, I am not sure you can ever fully recover it.

[DDGator]

Guys, I understand your views... I don't necessarily disagree.

However, I will say that I have heard and read Gabe's side of the story -- and there is another side. He details it in his own worlds in a thread called "Gabe's Story" on warriortalk.com -- but you have to register (free) to read it and I know some of you may not care to do so.

I don't know what happened, but he tells a plausible story about getting bad advice from a lawyer, being railroaded by his department (its not hard to see how he might not have been very liked by upper managment), and eventually taking a plea to end his nightmare and protect his wife from jail time.

You may still not want to train with him, but don't always accept Internet lore at face value either.

[QKShooter]

I think many seasoned shooters that have hit the Internet web forum circuit are already pretty much informed as to various "pro & con" Gabe Suarez stories floating around out there in Cyberspace.
Controversial, opinionated, truthful, BS and otherwise.
He is a big boy and he can fend for himself.
There is certainly no shortage of Gabe Suarez information available free for the "mouse clicking" on the Internet.
I have found a couple more than few things of real value in a Suarez book or two.
I'm really not looking for a personal trainer these days and so it will likely never be necessary for me to personally judge Gabe or to weigh his "allegedly tainted past" against his merit as an instructor...on the QKShooter Balance Beam Of Life.
So I'll refrain from doing that.