Chisolm v. United States

49 Fed. Cl. 614, 2001 U.S. Claims LEXIS 109, 2001 WL 720470
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedJune 21, 2001
DocketNo. 99-515C
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 49 Fed. Cl. 614 (Chisolm 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
Chisolm v. United States, 49 Fed. Cl. 614, 2001 U.S. Claims LEXIS 109, 2001 WL 720470 (uscfc 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

MARGOLIS, Senior Judge.

This appeal of an Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (“AFBCMR”) decision is before the Court on defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Administrative Record on Count I, pursuant to RCFC 56.1, and defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Count II for Failure to State a Claim, pursuant to RCFC 12(b)(4). Plaintiff has moved for Judgment on the Administrative Record as to both counts. Plaintiff requests military pay and allowances pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(2) (2000) and 37 U.S.C. § 204(a) (2000). Plaintiff asks this Court to order the Air Force to delete the 1993 and 1994 promotion non-selections, void plaintiffs 1995 retirement, and have his records reflect that he served on continuous active duty until lawfully separated. After full consideration of the entire record and oral argument, this Court grants defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Administrative Record on Count I and also grants Judgment on the Administrative Record for defendant on Count II.

FACTS

Plaintiff, Major Henry L. Chisolm, Jr., United States Air Force, retired, served in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps (“JAG”) until June 1, 1995. At that time, he was involuntarily separated, or retired, due to promotion board non-selections to the grade of lieutenant colonel in 1993 and 1994.

Air Force officers periodically receive performance evaluations, known as Officer Performance Reports (“OPRs”). OPRs create a long-term record of an officer’s performance. The initial OPR is prepared by a rater, commented on by a second rater, and then evaluated by a reviewer. Thus three people periodically evaluate and provide comments on an officer’s performance. OPRs are also used during an officer’s promotion recommendation process to assess that individual’s promotion potential. Additionally, when an individual is eligible for promotion, a Perfor-[616]*616manee Recommendation Form (“PRF”) is prepared by the officer’s senior rater. The PRF is used to determine potential and to provide a promotion recommendation. A PRF may recommend Do Not Promote, Promote, or Definitely Promote (“DP”). DP recommendations are limited and based on a quota system. Each senior rater may only award a certain number of DPs, regardless of the number of officers that he or she thinks should be promoted. Air Force Regulations (“AFR”) 36-10, 4-3(d) (“Definitely Promote recommendations are limited in number to ensure they convey the intended message”); AFR 36-10, 4 — 3(f) (“Senior raters ... receive a share of the ‘Definitely Promote’ recommendations based on the number of assigned promotion-eligible officers ... ”).

Air Force officers compete for promotion by competitive categories. Plaintiff competed within the JAG category. The promotion process consists of promotion evaluation boards. See Convening of selection boards, 10 U.S.C. § 611 (2001); Composition of selection boards, 10 U.S.C. § 612 (2001). JAG officers are considered for promotion before the Lieutenant Colonel Aggregate/Carryover/Student Non-Line Evaluation Board (“NLEB”). The NLEB gives a promotion recommendation which is forwarded to a Management Level Evaluation Board (“MLEB”), here, the lieutenant colonel promotion board (“central selection board”).

Although selection boards are usually comprised of several sub-boards or panels, in this case, the NLEB consisted of one five-member board. Every member individually considers each officer’s record and secretly assigns the officer a score between 6 and 10, in point increments. AFR 36-89, A14d(l). Each score reflects that board member’s opinion regarding the officer’s strength in several categories.1 With no discussion, the officers’ scores are totaled and then arranged from highest score to lowest score in an Order of Merit (“OOM”). The officers are thus ranked. Administrative staff counts from the top of the OOM down, until the quota of available DP recommendations is exhausted. AFR 36-89, A14g(l). The board members do not know which officers are recommended for promotion. The board members sign a board report to certify that the officers recommended for promotion are those that are best qualified. The report that the board members sign is a blank page.

An evaluation board may not recommend an officer for promotion unless “the officer receives the recommendation of a majority of the members of the board” and “a majority of the members of the board finds that the officer is fully qualified.” See 10 U.S.C. § 616(c) (2000). Each selection board must submit a report signed by each board member, that contains a list of recommended officers and certifies “that, in the opinion of a majority of the members of the board, the officers recommended for promotion by the board are best qualified for promotion.” See 10 U.S.C. § 617(a) (2000).

In 1993, plaintiff became eligible for a promotion. Colonel Bradley J. DeAustin was plaintiffs initial rater for the OPR and also drafted plaintiffs PRF. Administrative Record (“AR”) 92. Colonel John M. Dorger was plaintiffs senior rater and reviewed and signed the PRF. AR 108-09. Colonel DeAustin intended to give plaintiff his “strongest indorsement” for promotion. AR 92. Colonel Dorger wished to give plaintiff a DP rating, but did not have the quota to provide such a rating. AR 108. Therefore, Colonel Dorger was required to send plaintiffs file to an evaluation board for a promotion recommendation. AFR 36-10, 4 — 3(i) (“Evaluation Boards ... award ‘Definitely Promote’ recommendations to those officers whose senior rater had too few eligibles to receive a ‘Definitely Promote’ allocation

The five-member 1993 NLEB first considered plaintiffs record. Plaintiffs 1993 OPR, however, was not included in his record before the NLEB. Colonel DeAustin, a member of the five-person NLEB, realized the OPR’s absence and notified Brigadier General Francis Gideon, Jr., the NLEB president. Gener[617]*617al Gideon attempted to locate the OPR but was unsuccessful. The NLEB considered plaintiffs record without his 1993 OPR and awarded plaintiff a “Promote” recommendation. The OPR was, however, included in plaintiffs record at the central selection board proceeding. AR 33. The 1993 central selection board subsequently non-selected plaintiff for promotion.

In February 1994, plaintiff applied to the AFBCMR seeking a correction of his record because the NLEB did not have his 1993 OPR when it considered his record. AR 7-9. Plaintiff also asked for promotion reconsideration by a Special Selection Board. See 10 U.S.C. § 1552(a)(1) (2001) (“The Secretary ... may correct any military record ... when the Secretary considers it necessary to correct an error or injustice”). The AFBCMR acknowledged that plaintiffs 1993 OPR was not considered by the NLEB and forwarded the complete record to General Gideon for his consideration. AR 4.

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Related

Chisolm v. United States
65 Fed. Cl. 497 (Federal Claims, 2005)
Chisolm v. United States
41 F. App'x 394 (Federal Circuit, 2002)
Bateson v. United States
51 Fed. Cl. 557 (Federal Claims, 2002)
King v. United States
50 Fed. Cl. 701 (Federal Claims, 2001)

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Bluebook (online)
49 Fed. Cl. 614, 2001 U.S. Claims LEXIS 109, 2001 WL 720470, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chisolm-v-united-states-uscfc-2001.