Lischak v. United States

202 Ct. Cl. 598, 1973 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 84, 1973 WL 21352
United States Court of Claims·Decided July 13, 1973·No. No. 350-69·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

Per Curiam :

This case comes before the court* on exceptions of the parties to a recommended decision filed on March 24, 1972, by Trial Commissioner Harry E. Wood [600] pursuant to Rule 134(b). Tbe court bas considered tbe case on tbe briefs and oral argument of plaintiff, pro se, and counsel for defendant. Since tbe court agrees witb tbe trial commissioner’s decision, as hereinafter set forth, it hereby affirms and adopts tbe same as tbe basis for its judgment in this case. Therefore, it is concluded that plaintiff is entitled to recover for tbe basic allowance for quarters of a captain (0-3) without dependents for the period February 1, 1968, to July or August 1968, and judgment is entered accordingly with tbe amount of recovery to be determined pursuant to Rule 131(c). It is further concluded that plaintiff is not entitled to recover a basic allowance for quarters for any period prior to February 1, 1968, and as to such claim tbe petition is dismissed.

OPINION OP COMMISSIONER

Wood, Commissioner:

Plaintiff served on active duty in Korea as a captain (0-3), Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Department of the Air Force, from the latter part of June 1967 to July or August 1968. He claims in this action some $900, representing a portion of the basic allowance for quarters (BAQ) of an officer of his rank without dependents during his Korean service.1

Plaintiff’s position is that defendant has breached his “basic Constitutional rights”,2 as well as statute and regulation. Defendant urges an absence of arbitrary, capricious or unlawful action, and that plaintiff is therefore not entitled to BAQ for the period in question.

For reasons which follow, it is concluded that plaintiff is not entitled to BAQ for any period prior to February 1, 1968, but is entitled to BAQ for the period February 1,1968, to his departure from Osan Air Force Base (Osan AFB).

[601] l

Plaintiff’s permanent duty station from June L967 to July or August 1968 was at Osan AFB, Korea. Finding 1(a). Throughout this period he was assigned to, and occupied, without payment of rental charges, quarters (Boom 205) in Building 896,3 located on base. Finding 3. Boom 205 (which included a kitchen) contained about 256 square feet of space, exclusive of closet and bath. Finding 4.

To about February 1, 1968, plaintiff occupied Boom 205 alone. Shortly after (and probably as a result of) the Pueblo incident of January 23,1968, however, there was a considerable buildup of military personnel in Korea, and from about February 1,1968, to his departure from Osan AFB, plaintiff shared Boom 205 with two other officers, married with dependents and on temporary duty in Korea, who were either paid BAQ or furnished “in kind” housing for their families at other locations. Findings 5-7.

While the crowding and general inconvenience resulting from the residence of three officers in a single relatively small room is obvious, plaintiff, for some time after February 1, 1968, made no complaint respecting his assignment to quarters in Boom 205. Finding 8(a).

By letter dated March 11, 1968,4 however, plaintiff noted that bachelor quarters at Osan AFB, not satisfying “desired adequacy Standards” even prior to February 1, 1968, “are presently occupied by an average of three persons * * and requested that the situation be brought to the attention of each commander of an Air Force installation in Korea, in order that where inadequate housing conditions existed, the appropriate commander might “so declare the condition and authorize proper payment of full or partial basic allowance for quarters to bachelor party permanent personnel.” Plain[602] tiff’s request for BAQ was subsequently denied, and this suit followed. Findings 8-9.

II

Plaintiff’s principal Constitutional complaint appears to be that he occupied assigned quarters on base without BAQ, while other officers, married with dependents and on temporary duty in Korea, who shared his quarters following February 1, 1968, were either paid BAQ or furnished “in kind” housing for their families at other locations.

The statute authorizing BAQ obviously does not treat each member of the armed forces in precisely the same way. The member’s rank, and whether or not the member is with, or without, dependents, clearly affect the monthly rate of BAQ to be paid when due. It cannot validly be concluded, however, that in enacting such a scheme Congress has encroached on Constitutionally protected rights.

There are obvious differences in circumstances between a bachelor officer without dependents at his permanent duty station and an officer with dependents on temporary duty away from his permanent station. Those differences fully justify the Congressional decision not to treat the two classes of officers, albeit of the same rank, in absolutely identical fashion insofar as BAQ is concerned. Although both may occupy government quarters at the same military installation, a married officer, separated from his family and away from hi's permanent duty station, has obligations and expenses the single officer at his permanent station does not. No actionable discrimination is shown or apparent.5

Ill

Still to be considered, however, is plaintiff’s further contention that, while in Korea, his right under statute and regulation to BAQ (or to “adequate” quarters) was breached.

Pursuant to Section 403(a), Title 31, United States Code (1964), a member of the uniformed services entitled to [603] basic pay is, except as otherwise provided by law, entitled to a basic allowance for quarters. One exception is stated in Section 403(b): such a member assigned government quarters “appropriate to bis grade, rank, or rating and adequate for himself, and his dependents, if with dependents, is not entitled to a basic allowance for quarters.”

As in force throughout the period here material, Section 403, Title IY, Executive Order No. 11157, June 24, 1964, 29 Fed. Keg. 7973, as amended 37 U.S.C. § 301 note (1970), implementing the foregoing statute, provided in part that any government quarters “in fact occupied without payment of rental charges * * * at his permanent station by a member without dependents * * * shall be deemed to have been assigned to such member as appropriate and adequate quarters, and no basic allowance for quarters shall accrue * * 6

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Lischak v. United States, 202 Ct. Cl. 598, 1973 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 84, 1973 WL 21352 (cc 1973).

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