Militias move forward on Texas border, leader's background emerges

Chris Davis, a 37-year-old truck driver who was discharged from the Army in lieu of court martial, is leading a citizen militia of "Patriots" who want to "secure the border." Chris Davis, a 37-year-old truck driver who was discharged from the Army in lieu of court martial, is leading a citizen militia of "Patriots" who want to "secure the border." Photo: Courtesy, Facebook Photo: Courtesy, Facebook Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Militias move forward on Texas border, leader's background emerges 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO - Groups describing themselves as militias have set up a training area near San Antonio and say there already are four "operations on the ground" along the US-Mexico border in Texas.

The groups, which supported Cliven Bundy at a standoff at his Nevada ranch earlier this year, posted an update on a website used to organize the efforts Tuesday night that said there are currently three "troops on the ground" on the Arizona border, and "four credible operations on the ground" on the Texas border.

The Texas militia, known as "Operation Secure Our Border," is being led by Chris Davis, a 37-year-old truck driver who was discharged from the Army in 2001 "under other than honorable conditions in lieu of trial by court martial," according to a summary of Davis' military service obtained by the San Antonio Express-News.

The details of Davis' discharge are protected from public view through the Privacy Act of 1974. Davis, originally from Florida, served in the Army from 1996-2001 as a mechanical systems operator-maintainer and was ranked as a private at the time of his discharge.

He does not appear to have any arrests, according to public record sources. Last year, Davis was one of three men in the group Open Carry Texas cited by the San Antonio Police Department for disorderly conduct while openly carrying rifles outside a Starbucks. The incident sparked an open carry rally at the Alamo that drew hundreds of armed protesters.

The militia groups has set up a "command post" in Von Ormy, about 20 miles south of downtown San Antonio, Davis told KRGV on Tuesday. Von Ormy Mayor Art Martinez de Vara did not immediately return a request for comment.

"We have patriots all across this country who are willing to sacrifice their time, money even quit their jobs to come down and fight for freedom, liberty and national soveringhty," Davis said in the interview.

Davis deleted his Facebook and YouTube accounts, including a 21-minute video in which he describes plans for "securing the border:" "How?" he asked on the video. "You see an illegal. You point your gun dead at him, right between his eyes, and you say, 'Get back across the border or you will be shot.' "

Davis, who provided an interview with the Express-News on Monday, did not return requests for comment.

"The commander (Davis) has gone black because of security threats," said Barbie Rogers, founder of the Patriots Information Hotline, which offers 24-hour service and is helping the group organize.

Rogers, based in Arkansas, declined to detail the "threats" but said the militias have garnered "tons of interest" during the past three weeks. She said the hot line is averaging 97 calls per hour.

The militas have said they will carry firearms along the border and carry out "missions" to stop the increasing number of migrants fleeing violence in Central America from entering the country illegally.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection opposed the militas through a statement, saying they "could have disastrous personal and public safety consequences."

Army regulations state a soldier may be discharged in lieu of trial by court martial when the soldier uses force or violence to produce serious bodily injury or death, abuses a position of trust, is insubordinate, deliberately endangers the health of others or displays behavior that "constitutes a significant departure from the conduct expected of Soldiers of the Army."

Davis' bio in his Twitter account, last active June 8, reads: "I believe in the King James Bible, The Constitution, and Bill of Rights! I am a Future Veteran of the Refounding. Molon Labe! III%! Spirit of 1776!"

kparker@express-news.net

Twitter: @KoltenParker