Poole v. United States

64 Fed. Cl. 776, 2005 U.S. Claims LEXIS 99, 2005 WL 850877
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedMarch 23, 2005
DocketNo. 02-454C, 04-460C
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 64 Fed. Cl. 776 (Poole 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
Poole v. United States, 64 Fed. Cl. 776, 2005 U.S. Claims LEXIS 99, 2005 WL 850877 (uscfc 2005).

Opinion

ORDER ON MOTION TO DISMISS, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR JUDGMENT ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD1

FIRESTONE, Judge.

Currently pending before the court is the United States’ (“government’s”) August 3, [778]*7782004 Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Judgment upon the Administrative Record. This action was filed by pro se plaintiff James E. Poole. Mr. Poole, who was retired from the Virginia Army National Guard of the United States (‘VA-ARNGUS”) on a 30% mental disability in 1998, challenges his disability rating and the lawfulness of his discharge. The government, in its motions, contends that Mr. Poole has waived his right to challenge his disability rating. In the alternative, the government contends that Mr. Poole is not entitled to an increase in his disability rating from the military. In addition, the government contends that Mr. Poole’s claim for improper discharge must be rejected on the ground that it does not state a money-mandating claim.

For the reasons that follow, the court GRANTS-IN-PART and DENIES-IN-PART the government’s August 3, 2004 motion to dismiss. In addition, the court hereby GRANTS-IN-PART and DENIES-IN-PART the government’s August 3, 2004 motion for judgment upon the administrative record and GRANTS-IN-PART and DENIES-IN-PART the plaintiffs August 12, 2004 cross-motion for judgment upon the administrative record.

FACTS

A. Background Facts

The facts as set forth in the Administrative Record are as follows: Mr. Poole entered the United States Army as an enlisted soldier on April 8, 1968. He later enlisted in the VAARNGUS and was commissioned as a second lieutenant, effective September 25, 1978. From June 5, 1991 until he was honorably separated from active service in 1996, Mr. Poole served on an Active Guard and Reserve Program tour pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 12301(d) (2005).

Mr. Poole was promoted to first lieutenant on September 24,1981 and then to captain on September 23, 1985. On October 25, 2002, the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency issued an order retroactively promoting Mr. Poole to the rank of major, effective November 1,1996.

On March 27, 1995, Mr. Poole’s battalion commander referred him to the Community Mental Health Activity for a mental status evaluation based on the commander’s observations of abnormal behavior. On January 12, 1996, Mr. Poole was hospitalized for seven days after he became incoherent and disoriented while performing staff duties during a state emergency snow duty operation. He was diagnosed as suffering from a delusional disorder.

In April 1996, a Medical Evaluation Board (“MEB”) convened to determine whether Mr. Poole should be referred to a Physical Evaluation Board (“PEB”). The MEB found that Mr. Poole was suffering from a

delusional disorder, persecutory type, manifested by exaggerated concerns that coworkers have bugged his home, office, and car; paranoid personality traits manifested by preoccupation with unjustified doubts about loyalty of friends or associates, reluctance to confide in others because of an unwarranted fear that information will be used maliciously; ... and social environment and occupational problems.

Administrative Record (“AR”) at 130.

The MEB found that Mr. Poole’s case should be referred to a PEB, and Mr. Poole concurred in that recommendation.

An informal PEB was then convened on August 21, 1996 to determine Mr. Poole’s fitness for retention on active duty. The PEB found that Mr. Poole’s condition made him unfit for retention but also found that, based on the medical evidence of record, his medical condition had not sufficiently stabilized to render a permanent rating. The PEB assigned a 30% disability rating and recommended that Mr. Poole be placed on the Temporary Disability Retired List (“TDRL”) until reevaluation in 1998. AR at 38. The PEB stated that, although Mr. Poole was given a 30% disability rating, he would “actually be in receipt of 50% of [his] retired base pay per month until removed from [his] temporarily retired status.” AR at 38. On August 27, 1996, Mr. Poole concurred in the recommendation and “waived [779]*779his right to a formal hearing of his case.” AR at 130. He was then temporarily retired by reason of physical disability with an assigned 30% disability rating.

On September 14, 1998, as a follow-up to the Temporary Disability finding, a PEB convened to reevaluate Mr. Poole’s case and to determine whether a permanent disability rating was appropriate. The PEB concluded that Mr. Poole should be given a permanent disability retirement. The PEB’s disability description states that Mr. Poole suffers from a “[d]elusional disorder, persecutory type by history, manifested by a history of exaggerated concerns that co-workers had bugged his home, his office and his car. Impairment for social and industrial adaptability is considerable. Soldier requires medication and psychotherapy and at this point is stable.” AR at 6. The PEB disability retirement recommendation goes on to provide that “[t]he present PEB rating of 30% accurately reflects the current degree of severity of [the plaintiffs] condition. The PEB considers [the plaintiff] to have stabilized sufficiently for rating purposes and recommends permanent retirement.” AR at 6. The PEB stated in conclusion that “[t]he Board finds the member is physically unfit and recommends a combined rating of: 30% and that the member’s disposition be: Permanent disability retirement.” AR at 6. In a letter to the plaintiff explaining the PEB decision, the PEB recorder stated that these conclusions were based upon the plaintiffs “recent periodic medical examination and other available medical records.” AR at 8. In particular, these records include the June 1998 Report of Ronald O. Forbes, M.D. entitled “Narrative Summary for TDRL Re-Evaluation.” AR at 13-15. That report includes the same diagnosis that appeared in the PEB’s Recommendation dated September 14, 1998. Dr. Forbes further indicated in his report that, “[Mr. Poole] continues to be at risk of relapse____He will continue to need outpatient mental health treatment.” AR at 15.

Mr. Poole was given this information in DA Form 199, along with a two-page letter explaining his options and rights. Mr. Poole concurred in the PEB’s recommendation and signed the required form on September 23, 1998. Mr. Poole was placed on the Permanent Disability Retirement List (“PDRL”) on October 6,1998. On June 7, 2001, Mr. Poole filed an application with the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records (“ABCMR”) challenging the MEB/PEB process and seeking reinstatement in the VAARNGUS effective November 1, 1996. He requested a new MEB/PEB with an award of a 50% disability, or alternatively, an award of back pay and allowances dating from November 1, 1996 to the present time. Mr. Poole challenged the procedures the military used in obtaining his disability rating. He also challenged the level of his disability rating. Mr. Poole argued that, because the impairment of his “social and industrial adaptability was considerable,” he was entitled to a 50% disability rating based on the applicable disability rating standards. AR at 138. He also submitted a sworn statement identifying his hospitalization in 1996 and his visits to emergency rooms for panic attacks. AR at 155-59. The ABCMR found that Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
64 Fed. Cl. 776, 2005 U.S. Claims LEXIS 99, 2005 WL 850877, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/poole-v-united-states-uscfc-2005.