A commander in the New Hampshire Army National Guard is facing a trial following the repeated sexual harassment of multiple subordinates.
Lt. Col. Mark Patterson was relieved of command at the Texas-Mexico border and put on staff duty over the summer, after harassing a junior officer and lower enlisted Soldier, respectively.
He led the 941st Military Police Battalion, headquartered in McAllen, Texas, as part of the federally controlled National Guard mission supporting the Department of Homeland Security in the region.
His unit deployed to the border in October 2022 and fell under the control of the Pentagon through U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force-North.
He is accused of making unwanted sexual comments, unwanted touching, and invitations to dinner or a hotel room.
At one point, according to WMUR, Patterson allegedly asked one of the Soldiers to apply IcyHot to his shoulders and asked the other woman to wear a German beer garden outfit.
“Some of the allegations are too graphic for News 9 to air,” WMUR reported.
Other charges in the rather extensive case include several alcohol violations, wrongfully keeping an animal, and misuse of a rental car.
Additionally, Patterson is charged with assault for allegedly striking a captain in the head with his hand in November 2022.
The field officer will go on trial next year.
The New Hampshire Army National Guard declined to comment.
“Under the privacy act, we are prohibited from commenting on personnel matters,” a representative from the organization wrote.
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