New Hampshire National Guard grapples with fallout from sexual harassment investigation

September 20 – Former New Hampshire National Guard Lt. Col. Mark Patterson sexually harassed soldiers, recruited women into his command and boasted that he could get away with it, a recently released report said.

The fallout from Patterson's January court-martial continued last week when a 50-page Department of Defense report detailing incidents from October 2022 to January 2023 while the New Hampshire soldiers were on active duty at Fort Bliss, Texas, was released as part of a CNN article.

Major General David Mikolaities, adjutant general of the New Hampshire National Guard, said via email that the organization has implemented changes and made progress.

Mikolaities had originally agreed to an in-person interview with the Sunday News, but after consulting with Governor Chris Sununu's office, decided to answer questions in writing.

“The incident occurred nearly two years ago, and significant efforts have been made to strengthen our programs and ensure we select the right person for the right command,” Mikolaities wrote of the CNN report. “We have made progress. It is unfortunate that a select few continue to focus on a negative narrative that is not true.”

Patterson, from Weare, pleaded guilty to charges of assault, sexual harassment, battery and conduct unbecoming an officer. He was demoted and retired as a major after more than 20 years in the Army Guard.

According to the Guard, recent polls indicate relatively high morale.

In a 2023 survey, 55% of New Hampshire Army National Guard members said their morale was high, while 13% of the unit reported sexually harassing behavior, according to Lt. Col. Greg Heilshorn, public affairs director. Those numbers are better than survey results for all National Guard units (53% high morale, 15% sexually harassing behavior) and the Department of Defense (45% high morale, 15% sexually harassing behavior). The surveys are not broken down by gender.

“In May 2023, the National Guard Bureau ranked us as the 10th best state in the nation among the 54 states and territories at low risk for harmful behavior,” Mikolaities said. “Our soldiers and airmen continue to perform their duties every day in support of our state and defense of our nation. Their morale is high because they recognize that their selfless service matters and they are making a difference.”

The NHNG employs approximately 3,000 people – 1,600 in the Army National Guard, 1,100 in the Air National Guard and 300 civilians.

There were three reports of sexual assault in 2022, followed by three new cases in 2023. Another eight cases were reported in 2023 but occurred in previous years, Mikolaities said. There is no deadline for reporting sexual assault in the military.

“Based on the number of cases reported from previous years, we believe there is a positive climate for reporting cases and that soldiers can seek help on their terms when they are ready,” Mikolaities said.

Patterson was suspended in January 2023. In April 2023, Mikolaities requested an evaluation of NHNG's workplace policies with a focus on sexual assault prevention and response.

A 10-page report released in December found NHNG's compliance and included recommendations to improve procedures in the New Hampshire Army and Air National Guard.

One of the recommendations was to bring in subject matter experts to provide training at all levels on offender tactics and to equip leaders with the skills to recognize and respond to warning signs.

Heilshorn said soldiers and airmen were aware of the many different ways to report misconduct without facing repercussions, including reporting directly to their supervisor, escalating to the next level of command, reporting anonymously and contacting victim advocates.

Detailed information on abuses

Patterson's behavior showed red flags before his 2022 assignment at Texas, but there was not enough evidence to confirm wrongdoing. Mikolaities addressed the concerns with Patterson before he departed.

Soon after his deployment, the first complaints came in. Patterson was accused of harassing and verbally abusing his company commanders, spreading rumors and taking retaliatory actions against his battalion, according to the Defense Department report.

Many other lurid revelations come from sworn testimony from 54 soldiers and 79 pieces of evidence, including text messages, pictures and audio recordings. In particular, they deal with how Patterson attempted to lure female soldiers with an unauthorized puppy.

“Several soldiers interviewed in his battalion expressed concern and suspected that he used the dog for grooming to gain sole access to female soldiers and reduce his risk of being caught or accused of fraternization. Several soldiers stated they only saw female soldiers watching the dog,” the report said.

Patterson was also accused of sending photos of himself shirtless in bed to female soldiers, taking photos of female soldiers without their knowledge, sending text messages asking female soldiers to come to his hotel room, hanging out with female subordinates at the pool at the enlisted hotel and violating the Guard's alcohol consumption policy. He often invited other soldiers to Top Golf or Buffalo Wild Wings.

Soldiers described Patterson getting into a “bar fight” after slapping a soldier at Top Golf.

Heilshorn said such abuse of power and inappropriate behavior were routinely addressed after Patterson's firing. He said any formal complaints are immediately investigated by a third party within the military or local law enforcement.

Even if no criminal prosecution is initiated against a National Guard member, the NHNG will continue to investigate all complaints of misconduct, Heilshorn said.

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