IN FORT SMITH WITH THE LATEST, INCLUDING THE RESPONSE FROM THE Director OF DEFENSE. COLONEL DILLON PATTERSON WAS Captain OF THE 188TH Flap FOR ONLY 6 MONTHS UNTIL HERESIGNED. AS OF NOW, HE’S No DOING ANYINTERVIEWS. Government SARAH SANDERS SAYS HE CHOSE FAITH OVER POLITICAL MANDATES AND A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE States THE POLICY ALLOWS FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE FOR SERVICEMEMBERS. THIS IS COLONEL DILLON PATTERSON AT THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD CEREMONY IN JUNE, 2023, WHEN HE OFFICIALLY BECAME Chief OF THE MORE THAN 1, 000 MEMBERS OF THE 188TH Aircraft AT EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE IN FORT SMITH. PATTERSON RESIGNED ON DECEMBER 18TH AND HAS BEEN REASSIGNED TO CAMP ROBINSON. IN A LETTER TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD AUSTIN, GOVERNOR SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS SAID PATTERSON WAS FORCED TO CHOOSE CONTINUING HIS COMMAND And ADHERING TO HIS RELIGIOUS Ideas AGAINSTABORTION. IN ARKANSAS, ABORTIONS ARE ONLY ALLOWED IF THE MOTHER’S LIFE IS AT RISK. IN THE Email, GOVERNOR SANDERS SAYS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS SUBVERTING ACTIONS TAKEN BY STATES WITH SIMILAR ABORTION RESTRICTIONS BY USING Income Money TO PAY FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR SERVICE People TO GET AN ABORTION OUT- OF- STATE AND SHE CALLS IT EGREGIOUS THAT COMMANDERS ARE FORCED TO APPROVEIT. Matching TO A MEMO OBTAINED BY 40/29 NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE By FEBRUARY LAST YEAR- AS PART OF THE Director OF DEFENSE’S Program ON ENSURING ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE Wellness CARE, THE SECRETARY DIRECTED TRAVEL AND Transport ALLOWANCES FOR SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS TO ACCESS NON- COVERED PROCEDURES THAT ARE UNAVAILABLE LOCALLY. THE POLICY ALLOWS FOR PAID EXPENSES FOR LODGING, MEALS AND ROUNDTRIPTRANSPORTATION. Government Smith SAYS THE POLICY If Become RESCINDED IMMEDIATELY. IN A STATEMENT SENT TO 40/29 NEWS- A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Claims- THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE AN ABORTION POLICY, BUT A TRAVEL POLICY TO ENSURE SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE Wellness CARE REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY’RESTATIONED. THE SPOKESPERSON SAYS IF A Chief IS UNCOMFORTABLE APPROVING Calls, THEY CAN CONSULT WITH THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND AS TO WHETHER THE Calls MAY Get REFERRED UP TO A HIGHER LEVEL FOR APPROVAL. WE ASKED FOR AN INTERVIEW, BUT GOVERNOR SANDERS WAS NOT AVAILABLE TODAY. THE BRIGADIER GENERAL OF THE ARKANSAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD IS NOW THE TEMPORA188th chief quits over government’s pregnancy- related travel plans
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Updated: 9: 43 PM CST Jan 3, 2024
Mr. Brett Rains
Journalist for Multimedia
Prior to his resignation in December 2023, Col. Dillon Patterson oversaw the 188th Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard at the Fort Smith center where he was stationed. Patterson resigned from his position for specific faith-based grounds and has since been reassigned within the guard, according to a declaration from the public data department of the Mr National Guard. Llyod Austin, the secretary of defense, and President Joe Biden received a notice from Gov. According to Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Patterson was forced to make a decision between his commanding status and his spiritual principles, and Patterson chose his faith over his social obligations. According to Sanders, Austin claimed that by using taxpayer funds to pay for the journey, meals, and shelter associated with out-of-state civilian travel in order to procure an pregnancy procedure, the U.S. Department of Defense was violating the laws of states like Arkansas. As a result, commanding officers were compelled to approve such abortion leave. Sabrina Singh, the assistant press secretary for the office of the secretary of defense, stated in a statement to 40/29 News that there is no abortion policy at the Department of Defense. According to her, the current travel coverage guarantees that service members have equitable access to reproductive health care wherever they are stationed. According to Singh, a commander who felt uneasy approving requests for non-covered reproductive health care may speak with their chain of command to see if such requests had been forwarded to an upper echelon of commands. According to Arkansas law, abortions are simply permitted when the mother’s life is in danger. Patterson did not want to comment on his decision to deliberately retire from his chief place, according to an Mr National Guard spokesperson who spoke with 40/29 News. According to the spokesperson, it wo n’t affect Patterson’s rank or service history. BGen. Until a continuous captain is chosen, Wes Nichols has taken over temporary control of the 188th Wing. Before resigning in December 2023, Col. Dillon Patterson oversaw the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing at Ebbing Air N Watch Center in Fort Smith for six weeks. Patterson resigned from his position for specific faith-based grounds and was reassigned within the shield, according to a declaration from the public data department of the Mr National Guard. Llyod Austin, the secretary of defense, and President Joe Biden received a notice from Gov. According to Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Patterson was forced to make a decision between his commanding position and his spiritual principles, and Patterson chose his belief over his social obligations. According to Sanders, Austin claimed that the U.S. Department of Defense was violating the laws of states like Arkansas by using taxpayer funds to pay for the journey, meals, and shelter associated with out-of-state civilian go in order to obtain an abortion process and that commanding officers are required to approve such abortion keep. Sabrina Singh, the assistant press secretary for the business of the secretary of defense, stated in a statement to 40/29 News that there is no abortion policy at the Department of Defense. She claimed that the current travel plan makes sure that service members have access to reproductive health care on an equal basis, irrespective of where they are stationed. According to Singh, a captain who felt uneasy approving requests for non-covered reproductive health care may speak with their chain of command to see if such requests had been forwarded to an upper echelon of commands for approval. According to Arkansas law, abortions are merely permitted when the mother’s life is in danger. Patterson did not want to comment on his decision to deliberately retire from his chief place, according to an Mr National Guard spokesperson who spoke with 40/29 News. According to the spokesperson, it wo n’t have an effect on Patterson’s rank or service history. BGen. Until a continuous chief is chosen, Wes Nichols has taken over temporary control of the 188th Wing.
