Sinclair v. United States

66 Fed. Cl. 487, 2005 U.S. Claims LEXIS 162, 2005 WL 1415439
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedJune 15, 2005
DocketNo. 02-2042
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 66 Fed. Cl. 487 (Sinclair 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
Sinclair v. United States, 66 Fed. Cl. 487, 2005 U.S. Claims LEXIS 162, 2005 WL 1415439 (uscfc 2005).

Opinion

OPINION

DAMICH, Chief Judge.

Plaintiff filed his complaint on December 27, 2002, alleging, inter alia, that he is entitled to recover military pay under 10 U.S.C. § 1552, which allows for the correction of military records and governs claims incident thereto, because he was improperly discharged from the United States Army after he resigned in lieu of a court-martial. Compl. 1ÍH1, 9. Soon after the case was filed, Plaintiff filed a consent motion to stay proceedings while two military appeals boards reviewed his case. The Court granted Plaintiffs motion in May 2003. Both boards ren[489]*489dered decisions by the end of May 2004, which decisions Plaintiff did not find entirely satisfactory. On August 19, 2004, the United States (hereinafter “Defendant”) filed a Motion to Dismiss (hereinafter “Def.’s Mot.”) under Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) of the Rules of the United States Court of Federal Claims (hereinafter “RCFC”), alleging that this Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiffs complaint and that Plaintiff has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Def.’s Mot. at 1. During the briefing of Defendant’s motion, Plaintiff requested leave to amend his complaint, which the Court, in its solicitude, granted. Plaintiffs Response to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (hereinafter “Pl.’s Resp.”) at 3. To incorporate the new information contained in the amended complaint, supplemental briefing on Defendant’s motion was allowed. Briefing was completed in early February 2005.

Plaintiff asks the Court to (1) grant him back pay and allowances as a Lieutenant Colonel 0-5 from December 30, 1996 (the day on which Plaintiff was discharged), until June 30, 1997; (2) place him on the retired rolls of the Army at the same grade or at the last grade at which he last honorably served as of July 1, 1997;1 and (3) correct his military records to remove his discharge under other than honorable conditions (“UOTHC”) and reflect his retirement as being under honorable conditions. Id. at 8-9, Although Plaintiff was given every opportunity to establish jurisdiction, including the chance to file an amended complaint, Plaintiff has failed to do so with regard to the first two of his claims, and the Court must, for the reasons discussed below, GRANT Defendant’s motion for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. With regard to Plaintiffs final claim, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s motion for failure to state a claim.

I. Background

In 1996, Plaintiff, who had then served in the Army for over nineteen years, was reassigned from Fort Stewart, Georgia, to Fort Hood, Texas. Deck of Robert W. Sinclair UK 3-4, available at Pl.’s Resp. Ex. 2 (hereinafter “Sinclair Deck”). At the time of his reassignment, Plaintiff was a Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Signal Battalion of the 24th Infantry Division. Id. II4. At Fort Hood, Plaintiff learned informally that he was under investigation for sexual harassment and inappropriate touching, as a result of complaints by female members of his former command. Am. Compl. 111113, 16(a)-(b), 16(g). Once formal charges were brought, Plaintiff was ordered to return to Fort Stewart for potential court-martial proceedings. Id. H 16(f). Plaintiff was also given a “no contact” order that prevented him from communicating with any member of his former command. Id. 1116(g).

Plaintiff met with counsel from both the Fort Stewart and Fort Hood Trial Defense Services (hereinafter “TDS counsel” or “TDS attorneys”). Id. U 16(h)-(k). According to the amended complaint, both TDS counsel advised Plaintiff that immediate resignation would be in his best interest because officers at Fort Stewart had been dismissed for “stealing a candy bar.” Id. HH15, 16(j). Subsequently, Plaintiff submitted a resignation for the good of the service in lieu of trial by a general court-martial. He was aware at the time of the possibility that his resignation could amount to a discharge UOTHC. Id. HU 4-5; Record of Proceedings, Department of the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records U 3, available at Pl.’s Resp. Ex. 1 (hereinafter “ABCMR Record”). The Assistant Secretary of the Army, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, accepted Plaintiffs resignation and directed that he receive a discharge UOTHC. Id. U4. Plaintiff was discharged accordingly on December 30, 1996. Id.

Plaintiff filed appeals with the Army Discharge Review Board (hereinafter “ADRB”) and the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records (“ABCMR”) on December 28, 1999, and filed his complaint in this court three years later. Am. Compl. U10. As already stated, the Court stayed proceedings to give the boards time to decide. On May 9, [490]*4902003, the ADRB upgraded Plaintiffs discharge from discharge UOTHC to a general discharge under honorable conditions. Joint Status Report of 7/1/03, II1. However, on May 25, 2004, the ABCMR declined Plaintiffs request to change his status from discharged to retired. Am. Compl. II12; ABCMR Record: Discussion 114. After the two boards had made their decisions, the Court lifted the stay.

Plaintiff alleges that his resignation in lieu of a court-martial was invalid because he was under duress, was being coerced, and was experiencing tremendous emotional strain. Am. Compl. II 16(o). He claims that the duress, coercion, and emotional strain were caused by (1) the negative attitude and mood of the command at Fort Stewart; (2) his removal from his family at Fort Hood; (3) the failure of his TDS attorneys to interview witnesses and completely investigate the charges; and (4) his isolation from anyone (other than his attorneys) who could advise him. Id. HIT 16(k), 16(m), 16(o). As a result, Plaintiff appeals the ABCMR’s decision to deny him a status change from discharged to retired, contending that such denial was arbitrary, capricious, not supported by substantial evidence, and contrary to applicable law and regulations. Id. II20.

II. Analysis

The Court must determine if it is appropriate to dismiss Plaintiffs suit based on RCFC 12(b)(1) or RCFC 12(b)(6).

A. Jurisdiction

Plaintiffs complaint alleges that the Court of Federal Claims has jurisdiction over this case under the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1491, and 10 U.S.C. § 1552, which allows for the correction of military records and governs claims incident thereto. Am. Compl. HH1, 2. Am. Compl. H 2. The Tucker Act provides that the court:

shall have jurisdiction to render judgment upon any claim against the United States founded either upon the Constitution, or any Act of Congress or any regulation of an executive department, or upon any express or implied contract with the United States ____

28 U.S.C. § 1491(a)(1). The Tucker Act itself, however, is not an “act of Congress” upon which a claim can be based. See Fisher v. United States, 402 F.3d 1167, 1172 (Fed.Cir.2005) (en banc). Rather, for this Court to have jurisdiction, a plaintiff must identify a separate, money-mandating statute. Id.

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Bluebook (online)
66 Fed. Cl. 487, 2005 U.S. Claims LEXIS 162, 2005 WL 1415439, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sinclair-v-united-states-uscfc-2005.