Tampa Lawyer Files Lawsuit Against Fake SEALs – Guardian Of Valor

This was brought to our attention yesterday by the reporter that did the story. It seems a lawyer in the Tampa Bay area has joined with our friend Don Shipley, in a lawsuit against SEAL fakers. I am thinking they should add John Giduck to theior lawsuit!!

Here is the story from the Tampa Tribune: Lawsuit newest weapon against fake SEALs

This is a small quote from the above story from Tampa Tribune writer HOWARD ALTMAN:

Lawyer Gene Odom filed the first of what he says could be multiple similar suits on Monday. The suit, filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court, targets Barry “Bear” Silverman, who runs a business called “Tactical Deterrence” in Broward County. The business’ “principal purpose is to offer training to customers seeking Navy SEAL instruction in weapons use and security deployment,” according to the suit.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of retired SEAL Don Shipley, who runs Extreme SEAL Experience, which provides students with training similar to what SEALs experience during the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. Shipley’s training center is based in Chesapeake, Va., with an adjunct office in Hillsborough County, according to the suit.

Shipley, a 24-year Navy veteran, spent 19 years as a SEAL before retiring in 2003 as a senior chief petty officer. The suit says his business is being harmed by men falsely claiming to be SEALs; it also claims Silverman is using the likeness of the SEAL trident without permission.

“I want to reach these guys where it hurts,” said Odom, “with a multi-million punitive damages award from a jury.”

Silverman is not in the military’s database as having attended Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, command spokesman Navy Senior Chief Michael A. Raney said in an email to the Tribune. He said that means not only did Silverman not graduate from the training program, but that he “never attempted the training,” Raney wrote in the email.

Shipley’s suit accuses Silverman of interfering with a business relationship, violating Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Practices Act and Unauthorized Publication of a Likeness for Advertising Purposes.

Silverman did not return two emails seeking comment and could not be reached by phone.

Two websites for Tactical Deterrence are no longer in use. State records show no record of that company existing. There is no listing for the company with directory assistance.

Odom also has filed a defamation lawsuit against another man he says is making false claims of being a SEAL, and the man’s publisher. He says that in an article titled “More Truth Revealed,” William Brockbrader stated that Extreme SEAL Experience “only pretends to provide actual SEAL instructor training.”

Odom said he is suing Brockbrader because he is claiming to be a SEAL and is using the defamation language as the basis of the suit because the law does not allow someone to be sued solely for falsely claiming to be a SEAL.

In the lawsuit, Shipley’s lawyers claim that by pretending to be SEALs, Brockbrader has “diminished the competitive and economic advantage of SEALs seeking to re-enter the civilian workforce” and that he has suffered economic loss as a result of Silverman misrepresenting his status as a SEAL.

Brockbrader, who denies he defamed Shipley, said he was a SEAL between 1992 and 2000. He said he has witnesses who can verify his SEAL training and that any records pertaining to his service were sealed because he served with a “classified program.”

Navy Special Operations Command said neither Brockbrader nor Silverman attended SEAL training, graduated from it or served on any SEAL team. Any claims that training records of sealed are false, according to the Navy Special Operations Command.

We will be following this story to see where it ends up! There is always more than one way to skin a cat!