Minuteman Project: October Weekend 5

The last weekend! I arrived on Friday and joined a volunteer named Bernie at Comms. Montana and Scorpion were elsewhere on the line that night. Bernie, I found out, had been at the same Air Force base that my father was at quite a few years back. They did not know each other well, but it just shows that the world is a small place...

The night was very quiet with no activity until about half an hour before we were to leave for the night. About two miles out, give or take, the sound of an automatic weapon emptying a 20 round magazine pierced the night. I was pretty sure I also heard four shots from a semiautomatic as well- much quieter, most likely a handgun, but no one else reported hearing it. The machine gun was the last to be firing, so if it was a gun battle it sounded like it had won. There was also speculation that they might have been firing just because they knew that we would leave- which we did.

I can't say how impressed I was with the volunteers that night. Everyone was packed up and moved out in a matter of minutes. All of the night vision were returned to Montana and accounted for faster than any previous night, bar none.

Imagine that- no Minuteman busted out an AR15 to start shooting back! One the way out we saw a Border Patrol agent and reported the shooting.

Back at Montana's we decided that it was most likely an AK47, but none of us are gun experts, at least not THAT much of an expert. We also decided to give the volunteers the choice of which line to run the next night. The Naco line, where we had heard the gunfire, or the Huachuca line, where activity had been very scarce. It was the last night and we thought that given the events of the night before we would let them decide. And imagine that- not one vote for the Huachuca line. I was proud!

Chris Simcox was going to join us for the second night. Here is Chris giving one of his typical speeches to some of the volunteers. He is always fun to listen to.






After meeting with the volunteers and preparing to leave for the Naco line, Chris had a surprise for the "Granny Brigade." Chris presented both Montana and Scorpion with "The Eagle Award" for the best run sector in the Project for the month of October! I absolutely could not agree more! It was a pleasure to work with them both, and I am looking forward to it in the future.



Montana and Scorpion holding their "Eagle Awards."








We got out to the line for the last night. This is Whiskey-Alpha and Montana manning Post 12.







While I was visiting Post 12, the local Sheriff stopped by to ask where everyone was going to be for the night. Montana had to show off her "Eagle Award."

The Sheriff would very often stop by- he was very concerned for our safety, and very concerned that we get a proper opportunity to exercise our First Amendment rights. I really cannot say "Thank you" enough!

We made sure he knew about the shooting the night before. "Yeah, there was gunfire! Automatic fire buzzing by our heads! And hand grenades! We lost a lot of good men and women, but we are back tonight anyhow!"

I moved down the line making sure everyone had water and working radios. About half way down the line, I heard over the radio that there was a train on the way. Now when a train arrives, everyone watches it intently. Very often a group will jump off the train while it is still going slow to cross the border. They ride the train to get past the Naco fence and all the Border Patrol in the vicinity of Naco.

While watching the train I we noticed that there were four individuals riding on top of the train. At the time our posts were still all very visible, so I am sure they saw us.

As far as we could see them they did not jump off the train. I guess it is possible that they were not going to, but I am pretty sure that the only reason they did not jump off was because they saw us there.

I then continued down the line, eventually to Post Zero where Chris Simcox was stationed for the night. We discussed politics and law, and I did a short interview for his son (who's callsign for the night was "ACLU") for a school project, apparently involving the citizens' rights to carry guns.




Long, cold, quiet night with no activity. That's alright, we were burned out after a long month anyhow. About 10 minutes before we left for the last time, we all lit every light we had and set off our car alarms. SOME of us even sang "God Bless America." I'll let you guess whether or not I was one of them.



Back at Montana's house. This is Pal, a.k.a. "Minutedog." Minutedog loves cheese.






Scorpion and I always enjoyed talking after a shift about politics, usually involving how socialism is to blame for this whole mess, and will continue to feed the problem until it is eradicated from our country.




In the morning we all met back at Camp Tom Tancredo for breakfast at the Trading Post. I took a few photos before everything was taken down.






This is Headquarters where all radio activity was monitored and any significant activity is logged (That's radio activity, not radioactivity. We don't have nuclear bomb detectors). Often, this is where calls to the Border Patrol were made.






This is "Administration," where I slept in September.








This is the Trading Post, where we would often sit, eat, and discuss how things went the night before and what we can do to improve for the next night.





After breakfast Bernie had another surprise for Montana, Scorpion and Whiskey-Alpha. This is Bernie standing with Montana and Scorpion after presenting them with little Army style Precious Moments figures.

Montana's is holding a map and Scorpion's has a pair of binoculars.



One last photo of Montana, Scorpion and myself before heading home to Tucson after a very long month!