{"id":52295,"date":"2024-01-26T16:55:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T16:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/26\/guard-officer-deployed-to-border-reprimanded-after-assault-guilty-plea\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:17:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:17:10","slug":"guard-officer-deployed-to-border-reprimanded-after-assault-guilty-plea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2024\/01\/26\/guard-officer-deployed-to-border-reprimanded-after-assault-guilty-plea\/","title":{"rendered":"Guard officer deployed to border reprimanded after assault guilty plea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A New Hampshire National Guard officer who led a battalion on the southern U.S. border has pleaded guilty to assault and several other crimes and been sentenced to a reprimand, the U.S. Army said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A military judge in Texas on Wednesday convicted and sentenced Lt. Col. Mark Patterson as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to assault consummated by a battery, sexual harassment, conduct unbecoming an officer, violation of a general order and other charges, said Army spokesperson Leah Garton. She said that the sentence was \u201cconsistent with the terms of a plea agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense attorney Joseph Jordan said his client owned up to his errors. He said the judge also took into consideration that Patterson had a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe took responsibility for exactly what he did wrong, and that is why his sentence was only a reprimand. It is important to remember that this is a decorated combat veteran who suffers greatly from documented PTSD and TBI,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cAll of that was taken into account, yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t