 During World War I Pantyukhov received a Cross of St. George, was treated in Crimea and became the commander of the "Third Moscow School of Praporshchiks".During the October Revolution he was the leader of the cadets who unsuccessfully defended the Kremlin from Bolsheviks.In 1919 in Novocherkassk (controlled at the time by the White Army), Pantyukhov was unanimously elected the Chief Scout of Russia.