State pushes back on reports of problems with Operation Lone Star
AUSTIN — Col. Rita Holton, state public affairs officer for the Texas Military Department, issued a refutation to several reports involving Operation Lone Star in a statement Friday.
Operation Lone Star is the state military mission along the Texas-Mexico border to address illegal immigration issues. Gov. Greg Abbott launched the operation in March where about 10,000 service members have been deployed to the border in an attempt to deter illegal border crossings. The operation has also been the subject of frequent scrutiny as reports of pay issues, suicides and poor equipment and living conditions have recently emerged.
The Texas National Guard reports primarily for domestic emergencies in Texas. While on duty, the member receives a flat rate of $151 per day, according to the Texas Military Department website. In the case of OLS, it was mandatory for most of those called up to report for duty.
According to reports by several media outlets, the operation has been plagued with issues. For example, reports found that members were not receiving the correct pay. State officials said as many as 150 guardsmen were not receiving full paychecks, stating it was due to a new, recently revamped pay system.
Read more: https://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/state-pushes-back-on-reports-of-problems-with-operation-lone-star/article_763b237c-7d5c-11ec-87cb-afefb3b5fb51.html
