Bates v. United States

34 Fed. Cl. 51, 1995 U.S. Claims LEXIS 156, 1995 WL 479682
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedAugust 9, 1995
DocketNo. 93-507C
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 34 Fed. Cl. 51 (Bates v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bates v. United States, 34 Fed. Cl. 51, 1995 U.S. Claims LEXIS 156, 1995 WL 479682 (uscfc 1995).

Opinion

OPINION

MEROW, Judge.

In this suit plaintiff Bobby L. Bates alleges that the defendant violated the applicable statutes and regulations by releasing him prematurely from active duty in the Army. This matter is now before the Court on dis-positive motions filed by the parties. For the reasons discussed below, plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is granted and defendant’s dispositive motions are denied.

[52]*52 FACTS

Unless otherwise noted, the following facts are not in dispute. In November 1963, plaintiff entered the Army as a second lieutenant and remained on active duty until June 1980 when he was released as a major. Plaintiff then became a member of the Army Reserve and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in September 1982.

On April 10, 1990, the Army notified LTC. Bates that on May 26, 1990, he would complete the maximum number of years of service that a member of the Army Reserve, may serve in an active status. When an officer in the reserve grade of lieutenant colonel completes 28 years of service (computed by 10 U.S.C. § 3853 (1988)1) he or she must either be transferred to the Retired Reserve or be discharged. 10 U.S.C. § 3848(a) (1988).2 Accordingly, the Army informed LTC. Bates that he could either request the transfer or he would be “automatically discharged.” Amend.Compl. at Attach. C.

On April 26, 1990, LTC. Bates responded to the notification and requested an extension beyond his mandatory removal date from active service. His response also included the requisite form in which plaintiff elected transfer to the Retired Reserve if the extension were not approved.

The Army next communicated with LTC. Bates in July 1990 when he was ordered to active duty for 12 days of training. The tour was to begin on August 13, 1990, but was later rescheduled to begin on September 17. On September 28, the plaintiff was ordered to active duty (pursuant to 10 U.S.C. §§ 672(d), 682 (1988)3) for 139 days of service commencing October 1,1990, and ending February 16, 1991. LTC. Bates served the tour in Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm as a safety officer attached to the 18th Airborne Corps.

In the course of his tour (on December 1, 1990) LTC. Bates accumulated 18 years of active service, i.e., 18 years of service on active duty. See 10 U.S.C. § 101(24) (1988) (definition of active service). At this juncture, LTC. Bates was assertedly within two years of qualifying for retired pay. See 10 U.S.C. § 3911 (Supp. IV 1988). When a member of a reserve component is on active duty (other than for training) and is within two years of becoming eligible for retired pay, he or she may not be involuntarily released from active duty before becoming eligible for that pay, unless the release is approved by the Secretary of the military department concerned. 10 U.S.C. § 1163(d) (1988).4

On January 12, 1991, LTC. Bates petitioned the Army to invoke section 1163(d) so that he could remain on active duty. The Army nevertheless released plaintiff from active duty on February 8, 1991. The Army explained that LTC. Bates had completed the [53]*53maximum service proscribed by section 3848(a) on May 26, 1990, and repeated its directive that he elect transfer to the Retired Reserve or be discharged. The plaintiff again selected the Retired Reserve option and was subsequently assigned to the force effective April 29, 1991. This suit was filed on January 31, 1994, asserting Tucker Act jurisdiction (28 U.S.C. § 1491).

DISCUSSION

The defendant’s first argument for dismissal is that the Tucker Act “does not vest this Court with jurisdiction to grant federal employees the benefits or entitlement of a position to which they have not been appointed.” Dfd’s Renewed Motion to Dismiss at 4. The defendant insists that when LTC. Bates was directed to report for active duty in September 1990, the orders were “for a defined and fixed duration [of 139 days and] the Court may not alter the terms of those orders.” Id.

The Court has jurisdiction to entertain this suit; the defendant has simply mischaracter-ized the nature of the claim. The plaintiff does not seek the “benefits or entitlement of a position” to which he has not been appointed nor does he seek to change the terms of his September 1990 orders. Rather, he maintains that, having accrued 18 years of active duty service, the Army wrongfully released him from active duty because he was entitled to the sanctuary provided by section 1163(d). LTC. Bates therefore seeks, inter alia, constructive active duty credit, back active duty and retirement pay, and the correction of his military record crediting active duty time and showing retirement.

In military pay cases involving the entry of a monetary judgment this court has jurisdiction to “provide an entire remedy.” 28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(2). The court may restore a service member “to office or position,” place the individual in the “appropriate duty or retirement status,” and correct “applicable [military] records.” Id.; see also Mitchell v. United States, 930 F.2d 893, 896 (Fed.Cir.1991) (reviews this court’s jurisdiction in military pay cases). Indeed, this court has awarded service members back pay (e.g., Skinner v. United States, 219 Ct.Cl. 322, 594 F.2d 824 (1979)); ordered individuals restored to their military positions (e.g., Yee v. United States, 206 Ct.Cl. 388, 512 F.2d 1383 (1975)); ordered the correction of military records (e.g., Holley v. United States, 32 Fed.Cl. 265 (1994)); ordered individuals placed in the correct retirement status (e.g., Casey v. United States, 8 Cl.Ct. 234 (1985)); and conferred constructive active duty credit (e.g., Groves v. United States, 47 F.3d 1140 (Fed.Cir.1995) (officer entitled to constructive active duty credit with corresponding back pay and allowances)).

The court’s power to grant non-monetary relief is circumscribed, however. This relief must be incident of and collateral to the award of a money judgment. Voge v. United States, 844 F.2d 776, 781 (Fed.Cir.), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 941, 109 S.Ct. 365, 102 L.Ed.2d 355 (1988); see also Austin v. United States, 206 Ct.Cl. 719, 723, cert. denied, 423 U.S. 911, 96 S.Ct.

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Bluebook (online)
34 Fed. Cl. 51, 1995 U.S. Claims LEXIS 156, 1995 WL 479682, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bates-v-united-states-uscfc-1995.