Thread: Report From Campo Minutemen

Finishing my 'Minutemen in California' account ....

While I stayed in Czechstan's camp, I lunched at the Campo Senior Center each noon to get a $2.50 meal. The food was OK except for the day they served quiche.




On the way to lunch one has to pass the Campo Border Patrol Station. Each sector has 'cages' or detention areas where illegals are processed. I talked with one BP agent who said on the previous night that the Tecate Sector had 2 full cages and had to keep the overflow in three trucks (with cages). This is a busy area even when you consider they only catch 25-30% of border crossers.



Dan 'Gadget' of the Campo Minutemen combines a desire to clean up litter with a strong belief in securing the border. While he has patrolled, he has his own methods of hindering illegals. Gadget lives in San Diego and drives to Campo sometimes six times a week. He always cleans up the same two I-8 freeway exits and a rest area that are often relay points by human smugglers for illegals that have made the 15 miles trek from the border. Gadget films and reports suspicious activity, and then scouts for evidence of left by illegals while picking up trash.



A trail near an I-8 exit with three discarded booties




By the time Gadget reaches the line at Campo, he may have already reported some illegals. Now he begins cleaning up litter, repairing fences, filling holes dug under the wall, and looking for sign of crossings.





Gadget has filled and stuck rebar in this former hole under the wall. His car carries a hardware store's supply of fence-mending tools and materials. Gadget also beat the RMM by getting a Campo Minutemen adopt-a-highway sign 8 months before us.



I decided to go see the 'Ballard' double fence in San Ysidro below San Diego. This fence is also called the 'Hunter' fence after Rep Duncan Hunter who fought in Congress to have it built. Gadget agreed to meet me in San Ysidro and to call Ken Lester of the Independent Minutemen to see if Ken could give me a tour.



At this point, I need to make a correction. I stated in my last email that the San Diego Minutemen patrolled the border near San Diego. This is incorrect. Other than special events like Light up the Line, the SDMM do mostly political action and demonstrations. It is Ken Lester, Stew Reeves and other Independent Minutemen that guard the border near San Diego.



As Ken Lester had been up all night on border watch, I did not meet him. Gadget instead gave me the tour of the double fence in San Diego.




The Ballard fence consists of round, spaced concrete pilings with mesh on top. Note the cleared land being prepared to extend the fence westward toward the ocean. This extension will use the new fence design of mesh screening that I discussed being built in New Mexico. Tijuana, Mexico is on the rise above the original metal panel wall.



The infamous Smugglers Gulch. This is the location that Secretary Chertoff claimed that after two years of study the Army Corps of Engineers could still not come up with a satisfactory plan to build an additional fence. How about just north of old one?



When Gadget and I returned to Campo, I drove east to spend the afternoon with the head of the Campo Minutemen, Britt (kingfish) Craig. Britt maintains a post a couple of miles east of Czechstan. This highpoint commands a vast area on both sides of the border and includes heavily traveled Smith Canyon. Britt lives in Orange County but normally mans this post six days a week.



Britt Craig, aka 'Kingfish', head of the Campo Minutemen



The Campo Minutemen includes daily commuters like Gadget, non-residents like Kingfish, as well as locals like G-Man. G-Man's property is rigged so that few trespassers cross without being reported to the Border Patrol.



The Minutemen Civil Defense Corps of California's Camp Vigilance was my last stop. It is located on a fenced, six acre leased property that has a historic Stagecoach Station as its central headquarters. I arrived in the afternoon with plans to leave for Colorado in the morning.



Camp Vigilance Boulevard, California



Camp vigilance is maintained by Ken Dreger of the Border Patrol Alliance, a group concerned with border security. They partner with Bob Rodel of the MCDC of California to host border watch operations.



For those desiring a more structured border watch with full camping accommodations, Camp Vigilance is the place to be. This includes RV hook-ups ($25/day), parking/tent areas ($10/day), and even a bunkhouse and showers. Community meals are often prepared ($7). There is a central recreation/meeting room and internet access. A trailer serves as command center for border operations.



To remain in Camp Vigilance one must already be a MCDC member, or apply for membership ($50) and go through a vetting process.



Being a 2 year member and having participated in border operations in Three Points and Naco, AZ, I was included in the evening 7-11 pm watch. This night operation was confined to the existing property, though MCDC has permission to conduct operations on another 160 acres of nearby property owners.



My watch was equipped with technological gear I had previously not experienced. A thermal imaging camera was mounted on a ten foot pole in the bed of pickup. A screen monitor and movement control was available inside the cab. We also had a handy night infrared scope at our disposal. We did not spot any illegal traffic. A few days before 20 illegals were spotted on a nearby road.



I left Camp Vigilance early the next morning for Colorado. Halfway down the bolder-covered mountains on Interstate-8 between Jacumba and Ocotillo, I drove by six 'suspected' illegals walking alongside the road. I continued down to the first exit where I found a Border Patrol parked. I reported them. The agent thanked me and said he would check them out. I parked nearby for a breakfast snack. Within a few minutes, two BP cars and a plane headed up the mountains. Chalk up one for the A-Team!



I made it to a roadside pullout about 25 miles south of Cortez. In the morning, I made coffee and took in my surroundings. Looking south as the sun snuck over the eastern horizon, I silently prayed that God Bless America and our mission.



Silhouetted on the horizon is Shiprock on the Navajo Reservation, New Mexico. This lone mountain was so named because of its resemblance to a yesteryear sailing vessel.

SO COOL! And very interesting. Thanks for that post. Thanks for what you all and the MM are doing.

God Bless the Minutemen ... and Lord... please give me the means and time to go help these "Patriots"

Thank you for pictures and the information.

Wish it could be published in a newspaper or a magazine.

May God Bless you ladyofshallot and all other Minutemen and Minutewomen on the 'front lines' defending our country.