Tippett v. United States

98 Fed. Cl. 171, 2011 U.S. Claims LEXIS 567, 2011 WL 1467824
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedApril 15, 2011
DocketNo. 07-624 C
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 98 Fed. Cl. 171 (Tippett 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
Tippett v. United States, 98 Fed. Cl. 171, 2011 U.S. Claims LEXIS 567, 2011 WL 1467824 (uscfc 2011).

Opinion

OPINION

BUSH, Judge.

This military pay case is before the court on defendant’s motion to dismiss, under Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) of the Rules of the United States Court of Federal Claims (RCFC), and on defendant’s motion for judgment on the administrative record, under RCFC 52.1. These motions have been fully briefed. The court also ordered supplemental briefing on one of plaintiffs claims.1 For the reasons stated below, defendant’s motions are granted.

BACKGROUND2

This case has its origins in an earlier military pay case, one brought before this court by plaintiff in 1996. Plaintiff eventually prevailed in that ease and received a judgment in his favor.3 Tippett v. United States, No. 96-308C (Fed.Cl. Apr. 23, 2002) (Tippett III). Now, plaintiff has brought suit for what he terms “contempt of court” and additional military pay. Compl. at l.4 The complaint basically contains two distinct sets of claims. One set of plaintiffs claims is related to the delays he encountered before receiving satisfaction of the judgment issued in Tippett III, a set of claims which includes monetary claims and prayers for equitable relief. Plaintiffs other set of claims encompasses promotion-related pay and benefits he did not and will not receive because of the failure of the United States Army to promote [175]*175him to the higher ranks of lieutenant colonel and colonel. The court turns first to plaintiffs earlier suit before this court.

I. Involuntary Discharge

Mr. David E. Tippett5 was serving as a captain in the United States Army in Germany when his superior officers became aware of an “extra-marital relationship,” which, in their view, “had contributed to the degradation of Tippett’s unit and had prevented Tip-pett from properly motivating his subordinates.” Tippett v. United States, 185 F.3d 1250, 1251-52 (Fed.Cir.1999) (Tippett I). Mr. Tippett admitted to the affair and was relieved of his duties as Public Affairs Officer. Id. at 1251. Also, “because he was the subject of an investigation that could lead to disciplinary action ..., [he was informed that] his promotion to major, scheduled for February 1, 1989, would be delayed.” Id. at 1252.

After consultation with Army defense attorneys, Mr. Tippett chose an honorable discharge over other options available to him at the time. Upon receipt of his honorable discharge on June 1, 1990, his discharge papers included a notation that the discharge involved “Misconduct, Moral or Professional Dereliction.” Id. at 1253 (internal quotations omitted). His discharge also prevented him from entering the United States Army Reserves. Id. at 1253-54.

Mr. Tippett sought relief from the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR or board), and while that application was pending, also sought relief in this court. Id. at 1254. Although both the ABCMR and this court denied his applications for relief, his case before this court was appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which found that his discharge was involuntary and directed this court to provide the following relief:

(i) cancellation of his discharge; (ii) reinstatement in the Army at the grade of captain as of the date of his discharge; (iii) correction of his records to reflect active duty service up to the date of reinstatement; (iv) back pay from the date of his discharge to reinstatement (less appropriate offsets); and (v) such other relief as is appropriate.

Tippett v. United States, 28 Fed.Appx. 942, 945 (Fed.Cir.2001) (Tippett II). On receipt of the mandate from the Federal Circuit, this court duly entered judgment for Mr. Tippett, ordering that “defendant shall cancel plaintiffs discharge, reinstate him at the grade of Captain, correct his records to reflect active duty service to the date of reinstatement, and give plaintiff back pay from the date of discharge to reinstatement (less appropriate offsets).” Tippett III, J. at 1.

II. Partial Satisfaction of the Judgment

Mr. Tippett contacted this court in December 2002 and attempted to file a motion to compel “the Secretary of the Army to personally appear to compel the Government to comply with the Court’s Judgment.” Compl. ¶ 14. The court returned plaintiffs motion to him unfiled, noting that the case had been closed for some months and that the court “assume[d] that the Secretary of the Army will insure that [its] obligations are met.” Tippett v. United States, No. 96-308C (Fed.Cl. Jan. 2, 2003) (order). Mr. Tippett received orders on January 4, 2003 revoking his discharge, reinstating him as captain and commanding that he report for duty on January 16, 2003. Compl. ¶ 17. Thus, the Army both cancelled plaintiffs discharge and reinstated him as captain, in compliance with the judgment in Tippett III.

It was not until November 2005 that Mi’. Tippett received word of the back pay amount that would satisfy this court’s judgment. Regarding the period of time beginning on June 2, 1990 through January 15, 2003, the Army stated that his back pay for that period was $820,064.96, which, once offsets and taxes were deducted, resulted in a sum due Mr. Tippett of $293,438.85. Compl. ¶ 28. Several aspects of the calculation were contested by plaintiff. Id. ¶¶ 29-32.

[176]*176Also in 2005, Mr. Tippett obtained a retroactive promotion to the rank of major, effective March 1, 1989. Compl. ¶ 24. He received back pay for the difference between a major’s and a captain’s pay, for July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. Id. As of July 1, 2005, Mr. Tippett began receiving the pay of a major.

According to plaintiff, his military records were not fully corrected until August 2006, as regards the corrections ordered by this court in Tippett III. Compl. ¶37. Also in 2006, Mr. Tippett was considered for promotion to lieutenant colonel, but did not receive that promotion.6 Id. ¶¶ 34-35. On April 30, 2007, Mr. Tippett was retired from the Army at the rank of major due to his time in rank. Id. ¶ 59. On August 22, 2007, Mr. Tippett, never having received the back pay he was due for the period of time from June 2, 1990 through January 15, 2003, filed suit in this court.

III. Back Pay Finally Paid, and Demand for Delay Damages

In late 2007, defendant and plaintiff negotiated a figure that represented back pay, minus allowable offsets and taxes, that was owed Mr. Tippett. Am. Compl. ¶ 69. On January 16, 2008, plaintiff was paid $318,160.45 by the Army. Id. ¶ I. Plaintiff asserts that his back pay award should have been much higher, to compensate for the effects of the Army’s delay in making payment. Id. at 11-12. Indeed, plaintiff asks the court to impose contempt damages upon defendant because of the delay in payment. Id. at 11.

IV. Promotion Claim (and Retirement Pay Claim)

Plaintiff asserts that he should have been promoted to lieutenant colonel and colonel by the Army. Am. Compl. ¶ 82. For this reason, Mr. Tippett asserts that he is owed back pay to account for the difference in pay between these ranks and the rank of major, and that he is entitled to reinstatement. Id. at 12.

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Bluebook (online)
98 Fed. Cl. 171, 2011 U.S. Claims LEXIS 567, 2011 WL 1467824, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tippett-v-united-states-uscfc-2011.