Frobish v. United States Army

766 F. Supp. 919, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7989, 1991 WL 97632
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedMay 2, 1991
DocketCiv. A. No. 90-4212-S
StatusPublished

This text of 766 F. Supp. 919 (Frobish v. United States Army) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frobish v. United States Army, 766 F. Supp. 919, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7989, 1991 WL 97632 (D. Kan. 1991).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

SAFFELS, District Judge.

This matter is before the court on cross-motions for summary judgment. On November 27, 1990, plaintiff filed this action, pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a(g), seeking an order amending the record of his service in the United States Army, compensatory damages in the amount of $100,000.00, and litigation costs. Because the court has determined that oral argument would not be of material assistance in resolving the issues raised in the parties’ cross-motions, plaintiff's request for oral argument is denied. D.Kan. 206(d).1

Specifically, plaintiff's complaint alleges that defendant United States Army has maintained and is maintaining an Officer Evaluation Report “describing plaintiff in criminal terms.” Plaintiff’s Complaint at 11 III. The report, attached to plaintiff’s complaint as Exhibit 1, contains the statement that plaintiff “[ejxercised extremely poor judgment by fraternizing with one of his female subordinates in his off-post quarters.” Plaintiff objects to the report’s use of the term “fraternization,” which he contends under applicable Army regulations can be used solely to refer to the criminal offense of fraternization.

A moving party is entitled to summary judgment only when the evidence indicates that no genuine issue of material fact exists. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Maughan v. SW Servicing, Inc., 758 F.2d 1381, 1387 (10th Dir.1985). The requirement of a “genuine” issue of material fact means that the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). The moving party has the burden of showing an absence of a genuine issue of a material fact. This burden “may be discharged by ‘showing’ — that is, pointing out to the district court — that there is an absence of evidence to support the non-moving party’s case.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2554, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). “[A] party opposing a property supported motion for summary judgment may not rest on mere [921]*921allegations or denials of his pleading, but must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. at 2514. Thus, the mere existence of some alleged factual dispute between the parties will not defeat an otherwise properly supported motion for summary judgment. Id. The court must consider factual inferences tending to show triable issues in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Bee v. Greaves, 744 F.2d 1387, 1396 (10th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1214, 105 S.Ct. 1187, 84 L.Ed.2d 334 (1985).

As an initial matter, the court finds that plaintiffs motion for summary judgment does not comply with the terms of the local rule governing such motions, namely D.Kan. 206(c). Thus, plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, as filed, is not properly before the court at this time.2 The court, therefore, need only consider whether defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims should be granted.

Because plaintiff has failed to respond to defendant’s summary judgment motion, defendant’s statement of the relevant facts is deemed admitted. D.Kan. 206(c). Accordingly, the court finds that the following relevant facts are uncontroverted by the parties. From May 10, 1987, to December 15, 1988, the plaintiff, an officer and attorney on active duty in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, was assigned as Officer in Charge of the V Corps, Legal Services Branch, at Wildflecken, Federal Republic of Germany. As an additional duty, beginning on August 11, 1987, plaintiff was assigned as the Ethics Counselor for his local community. As an Ethics Counselor, it was plaintiff’s job to advise employees on standards of conduct in the Army. As the Officer in Charge of the V Corps, Legal Services Branch Office, plaintiff was responsible for supervising and evaluating several military and civilian personnel. Although separated from his wife who was on active duty and stationed in Bad Kitzingen in the Federal Republic of Germany, plaintiff was still legally married and resided in off-post housing during the relevant time.

On November 30, 1988, an investigation was initiated by the United States Army Military Police based upon allegations from plaintiff’s wife that plaintiff was involved in an improper relationship or was fraternizing with a female noncommissioned officer assigned to plaintiff’s office and under plaintiff’s supervision. Association between officers and enlisted personnel, such as plaintiff and the female noncommissioned officer, on a level of military parity is improper fraternization and it may be a criminal offense under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 934.

During surveillance by the Military Police of plaintiff’s off-post housing, the female noncommissioned officer was observed concealing her car in plaintiff’s garage and entering plaintiff’s home on several occasions between December 10, 1988, and December 13, 1988. On December 15, 1988, based upon the findings of the Military Police investigation, Colonel Donald Deline, plaintiff’s supervising Staff Judge Advocate, directed that a further investigation of plaintiff’s conduct with the female noncommissioned officer be conducted with informal procedures outlined in Army Regulation (“AR”) 15-6. The investigation was conducted by Major Charles T. French, an attorney assigned to the V Corps, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. On December 27, 1988, plaintiff voluntarily tendered his unqualified resignation from the United States Army.

On December 28, 1988, the AR 15-6 investigation was completed and delivered, with exhibits, to Colonel Deline for his review and action. The AR 15-6 investigation resulted in findings that plaintiff was [922]*922the Officer in Charge at the Staff Judge Advocate’s Office in Wildflecken, Germany; that plaintiff was married but separated from his wife during the relevant time; and that a female subordinate legal clerk from plaintiff’s office was allowed by plaintiff to visit plaintiff at his home, to remain overnight on at least three to four occasions at plaintiff’s home, and to consume alcohol at plaintiff’s home. The Investigating Officer found that plaintiff’s conduct with the female subordinate “falls within the definition of Fraternization.” The “recommendation” portion of the Report of Proceedings by the investigating officer, resulting from the AR 15-6 investigation by Major French, found that a case for criminal Fraternization could easily be made, but plaintiff’s conduct was “more aptly” defined as “poor judgment.”

Colonel Deline, the Appointing Authority for the AR 15-6 investigation, approved the findings of Major French.

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Bluebook (online)
766 F. Supp. 919, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7989, 1991 WL 97632, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frobish-v-united-states-army-ksd-1991.