'That's unfortunate,' Cavalier said when Daily Mail Online confronted him over his Marine fabrication

He wears military style garb including a shemagh scarf often worn by soldiers serving in the Middle East, and has th e code name 'Fluffy Unicorn'

A key figure in the armed militia takeover of a federal building in Oregon has been posing as a retired US Marine to boost his 'combat' credentials, Daily Mail Online can reveal.

Brian Cavalier – the personal bodyguard of controversial ranchers Cliven and Ammon Bundy who lead the group – openly boasted to members of the press that he is a Marine who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But Daily Mail Online has learned that Cavalier, 44, has faked his military background to appear more credible as a militia henchman - a fact sure to anger some of the group's supporters.

According to US Marine Corp records Cavalier has never served as a Marine, whether it be as a recruit or a Marine Corps contractor.

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Bravado: Brian Cavalier, 44, the personal bodyguard of Cliven and Ammon Bundy, openly boasted that he is a retired Marine. But US Marine Corps records prove the big-bellied braggart never served as a Marine

Private eye: Cavalier keeps a close watch on rancher Cliven Bundy, center, meeting with supporters

Bearded Cavalier – wearing military style garb including a shemagh scarf often worn by soldiers serving in the Middle East – joined several armed militia to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon on Saturday – a move which grabbed national attention.

The menacing, 6ft tall bodyguard was also seen flanking Ammon Bundy during a series of press conferences held outside the refuge and has been heavily involved in coordinating security at the compound where the group is holed up.

But despite his self-styled military image and his heavy use of military phrases, we can reveal Cavalier is in fact a tattoo artist with a long rap sheet for DUI and theft, not a former soldier.

According to police records, Cavalier, from Arizona, has been arrested several times for DUI and one case of 'extreme DUI' in Arizona.

He wears military style garb including a shemagh scarf often worn by soldiers serving in the Middle East

In 2014 he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft of property and was sentenced by the Prescott Valley Municipal court in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

He is also listed as appearing in court in Santa Clara, California several times in the 1990s for unspecified offenses.

Since the armed occupation of the wildlife refuge Cavalier has refused to reveal his identity to members of the press.

He told journalists that he simply goes by the name 'Fluffy Unicorn'.

When Daily Mail Online visited the refuge on Monday Cavalier joked that he might change it to 'Raging Unicorn' – because he was irritated by our questioning.

'Yesterday it was Fluffy Unicorn', he said. 'Today it's Raging Unicorn.'

Then he made his false declaration.

'I'm a retired United States Marine, I can rage,' he said, before dropping in that he had served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

During several encounters with Cavalier - who on one day wore a hat with a badge stating 'major league sniper' on the front - he gave off an air of a long-time serviceman.

When our reporter asked about accessing the refuge building, he barked: 'No that's logistical security issues that we can't have happen, head count can't be divulged for security purposes.'

A shirtless Cavalier lies asleep on a bed with a handgun laid out next to him as well as bottles of Bacardi and Captain Morgan rum. While 'Fluffy Unicorn' might be Cavalier's code name for the armed occupation, we can reveal his real nickname is in fact 'Booda' or 'King Booda' due to a large Buddha tattooed across his belly

The military pretense continued when our reporter tried to climb a wildlife observation tower which the militia is using as a guard tower. Cavalier screamed for us to get down.

'Now we are at a cross hair where my men and photographs of aerial reconnaissance or photography is now putting people's lives in jeopardy and I will be upset,' he said, adding: 'I don't know what the hell could happen, they could be out there with snipers and not know who you are.'

While 'Fluffy Unicorn' might be Cavalier's code name for the armed occupation, we can reveal his real nickname is in fact 'Booda' or 'King Booda' due to a large Buddha tattooed across his belly.

The tattoo, one of dozens, can be seen in photos of Cavalier posted on Twitter.

In one snap he exposes his substantial gut under his t-shirt to display his Buddha and is seen carrying a handgun in a holster.

In another shot a shirtless Cavalier lies asleep on a bed with a handgun laid out next to him as well as bottles of Bacardi and Captain Morgan rum.

Outside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Monday one brave reporter asked Cavalier whether two symbols tattooed on his eye-lids were swastikas.

Cavalier snapped: 'No they are Chinese symbols for GAME OVER, so when I'm dead people know it's game over.'

It's believed Cavalier, who is from Arizona, has been working with the Bundy family for the past two years.

According to police records, Cavalier, from Arizona, has been arrested several times for DUI and one case of 'Extreme DUI' in Arizona

The burly militiaman also featured prominently during a tense armed stand-off at the Bundy ranch in March 2014 when authorities tried to seize Cliven Bundy's cattle over a grazing rights row

He also featured prominently during a tense armed stand-off at the Bundy ranch in March 2014 when authorities tried to seize Cliven Bundy's cattle over a grazing rights row.

He can be seen in several press photos flanking Bundy and surrounded by heavily armed militia members.

When Daily Mail Online confronted Cavalier over his Marine fabrication he seemed nervous and the bravado of previous days vanished.

'That's unfortunate that someone would say that,' he said, refusing to deny the claim.

When asked if our information was wrong, he responded: 'I'm not commenting on anything, I told you what it is.'

Cavalier asked who our source was and when told the US Marine Corp (USMC) had confirmed he was never a Marine, he said: 'That's unfortunate they would say that. It is what it is.'

When it was pointed out to Cavalier that people might be upset once they discover his lie, he added: 'Hey you've got a job to do and I've got a job to do.'

Claiming to be a Marine is not technically illegal - the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 allows for prosecutions only if someone falsely claims to have a combat decoration, and does so with intent to obtain money, property or other tangible benefit.

Cavalier is therefore staying just within the law. But his stolen valor is not alone. One of his militia colleagues also has a history of being wrongly called a Marine.

Blaine Cooper was once identified as a Marine in an interview in 2014 following a publicized rant he made against John McCain in which he demanded the senator's arrest for treason during a town hall meeting.

Militiaman Jon Ritzheimer, left, is a retired Marine reservist but Blaine Cooper, who has been a prominent figure outside the occupied refuge dressed in full camo military fatigues, was forced to release a statement denying he had spent any time in the service

Shortly afterwards Cooper – who has been a prominent figure outside the occupied refuge dressed in full camo military fatigues - was forced to release a statement making clear that he had in fact not spent any time in the Corps.

Online research shows that Cooper was enlisted to join the Marines in what is called the 'Delayed Entry Program,' or DEP, but never attended bootcamp.

The DEP is a program available for all branches that gives enlistees up to a year from their enlistment to show up for initial training.

According to a Wikipedia entry Cooper is a member of the Arizona State Militia.

Cooper's appeared in a YouTube video in which he rubs bacon on a copy of the Koran before burning and shooting arrows in to it, in a 'message to Muslim extremists'.

He adds that the Koran is, 'the most evil, pathetic book on the face of the planet.'

Another militia member, Jon Ritzheimer, can genuinely claim to be a Marine, however.

Ritzheimer is a staff sergeant and retired Marine reservist with two combat deployments to Iraq as a motor vehicle operator according to personnel records.

Ritzheimer never earned a combat action ribbon - a personal award denoting that the recipient was fired upon by the enemy, according to information released by the Marine Corps to The Washington Post.

He was, however, given a certificate of commendation for engaging three suspected insurgents after an improvised explosive device struck a vehicle in his convoy in 2005.

Last year Ritzheimer gained notoriety after sponsoring a contest in Arizona where participants were supposed to draw the Islamic Prophet Muhammad - an act seen as blasphemous by many Muslims, and intended to provoke them.

Ritzheimer first attracted national attention in May 2015 when he began pacing in front of a mosque near his home in Phoenix, Arizona wearing a t-shirt that had 'F**k Islam' emblazoned across the front.

Later that month he organized an 'anti-Muslim protest' outside the mosque that drew 250 people.