Cockrill v. United States

161 Ct. Cl. 752, 1963 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 88, 1963 WL 8586
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedMay 10, 1963
DocketNo. 315-58
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 161 Ct. Cl. 752 (Cockrill v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cockrill v. United States, 161 Ct. Cl. 752, 1963 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 88, 1963 WL 8586 (cc 1963).

Opinion

Dukfee, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff in this case, who was retired from the United States Army in the grade of colonel on October 31, 1946, is suing to recover a sum of money that was withheld from his retired pay in 1954 because of an alleged violation of the dual compensation law of June 30, 1932, as amended (5 U.S.C. 1946 ed. § 59a), during the period between November 1,1946 and December 15,1951. During the period mentioned, plaintiff, in addition to receiving his retired pay from the Army, also received a salary from the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club [754]*754of San Antonio, Texas, by which he was employed to serve as manager of the club.

The legal question involved in the case is whether plaintiff’s position as manager of the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club was a position “under the United States Government,” so as to bring plaintiff’s employment by the club within the coverage of the dual compensation law.

The Fort Sam Houston Golf Club was established and maintained under the provisions of Army Eegulations 210-60 relating to Post messes and clubs at posts, camps and stations. It was a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the United States with the same legal status as the Army Exchange Service and the Air Force Exchange Service considered in Gradall v. United States, decided this same day by this court, ante, p. 714, in which the same legal question is involved.

We find no material difference in the facts in these two cases as to the legal status of plaintiff’s position. Accordingly, we conclude that plaintiff’s position with the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club was not a position “under the United States Government” so as to bring plaintiff’s employment by the club within the coverage of the dual compensation law, section 212(a) of the Economy Act of June 30, 1932, as amended.

Plaintiff is entitled to recover, and judgment is entered to that effect, with the amount of recovery to be determined pursuant to Rule 38 (c).

FINDINGS OF FACT

The court, having considered the evidence, the report of Trial Commissioner Mastín G. White, and the briefs and argument of counsel, makes findings of fact as follows:

Introductory Statement

The plaintiff in this case, who was retired from the United States Army in the grade of colonel on October 31, 1946, is suing to recover a sum of money that was withheld from his retired pay in 1954 because of an alleged violation of the dual compensation law of June 30, 1932, as amended [755]*755(5 U.S.C., 1946 ed., 59a) during the period between November 1,1946, and December 15,1951. During the period mentioned, the plaintiff, in addition to receiving his retired pay from the Army, also received a salary from the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club of San Antonio, Texas, by which he was employed to serve as manager of the club.

The legal question involved in the case is whether the plaintiff’s position as manager of the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club was a position “under the United States Government,” so as to bring the plaintiff’s employment by the club within the coverage of the dual compensation law.

1. The plaintiff is a citizen of the United States and a resident of San Antonio, Texas.

2. On October 31, 1946, the plaintiff was retired from the United States Army in the grade of colonel for physical disability incurred in the line of duty. At the time of his retirement, the plaintiff had over 30 years’ service for pay purposes.

3. The plaintiff was employed as manager by the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club of San Antonio, Texas, a nonap-propriated fund activity of the United States Army, from November 1,1946, to December 15,1951. He received a total of $16,050 as salary from the club during this period of employment.

4. By a letter dated April 5, 1954, the Comptroller General of the United States notified the plaintiff that the receipt of both retired pay and the $16,050 referred to in finding 3 was prohibited by Section 212 of the Act of June 30,1932 (47 Stat. 382, 406), as amended by Section 3 of the Act of July 15, 1940 (54 Stat. 760, 761); and the plaintiff was requested to pay $16,050 to the Treasurer of the United States.

5. On July 1, 1954, the plaintiff elected under Section 411 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949 (63 Stat. 802, 823) to receive disability retirement pay as prescribed in Title IV of that act on the basis of 75 percent of the basic pay of a colonel with over 30 years’ service. Such election normally was effective as of October 1,1949.

[756]*7566. By a letter dated August 2, 1954, the Army Finance Center advised the plaintiff that, commencing with August 1954, he would be paid retired pay in conformity with his election under Section 411 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949. The plaintiff was also advised that he was entitled to a credit in the amount of $3,622.64, representing additional retired pay retroactive to December 16, 1951, but that such amount would be withheld as a set-off toward his indebtedness to the United States in the amount of $16,050.

7. On August 9, 1955, Private Law 423, 84th Congress, was enacted for the relief of the plaintiff (69 Stat. A144). This act provided as follows:

That, except as hereinafter provided, McFarland Cockrill, colonel, United States Army, retired, 04938, be, and he is hereby, relieved of any and all liability to the United States for any amounts paid to him as salary by the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club, a nonappropriatea fund activity of the Army, and any amounts paid to him as retired pay from the United States Army, during the period beginning November 1, 1946, and ending December 15,1951, both dates inclusive: Provided, however, That any sums heretofore withheld from the retired pay of Colonel Cockrill shall be retained by the United States.
Sec. 2. In the audit and settlement of the accounts of any certifying or disbursing officer of the United States, full credit shall be given for all payments of salary from the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club and retired pay made to the said McFarland Cockrill during the period beginning November 1,1946, and ending December 15,1951, both dates inclusive.

8. The sum of $3,622.64 referred to in finding 6 has never been paid to the plaintiff.

9. The Fort Sam Houston Golf Club was established and maintained under the provisions of Army Regulations 210-60.

10. As of November 1, 1946, when the plaintiff was first employed by the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club, Army Regulations 210-60 related to the establishment and maintenance of post messes at posts, camps, and stations, and provided in part as follows:

[757]*7571. Designation. — The messes established, maintained, and operated under the provisions of these regulations will be known as post messes.
2. Government agencies. — Post messes are established, maintained, and operated for the purpose of providing for the subsistence, welfare, good order, and discipline of the Army, and, accordingly, are classed as Government agencies.
3. Authorization. — a.

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Related

Denkler v. United States
9 Cl. Ct. 654 (Court of Claims, 1986)
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782 F.2d 1003 (Federal Circuit, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
161 Ct. Cl. 752, 1963 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 88, 1963 WL 8586, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cockrill-v-united-states-cc-1963.