Wilson v. Walker
Wilson v. Walker
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
This matter is before the Court on defendants’ motion to dismiss or in the alternative for summary judgment and memorandum in support thereof. Plaintiff has filed a memorandum in opposition to the motion and defendants have filed a reply thereto. Argument was had on the motion on May 11, 1984.
The basis of defendants’ motion to dismiss is the alleged failure of plaintiffs to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). In the alternative defendants move for summary judgment. Because the Court finds it necessary to refer to matters outside the pleadings, this motion will be treated as one for summary judgment. When evaluating a motion for summary judgment, the Court must, of course, view the facts in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion, giving such party benefit of all reasonable inferences to be drawn from facts. Portis v. Folk Construction Company, Inc., 694 F.2d 520, 522 (8th Cir. 1982). “Summary judgment is an extreme remedy, and a motion for summary judgment should not be granted unless it is clear beyond controversy that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” U.S. v. Porter, 581 F.2d 698, 703 (8th Cir. 1978). See also Bellflower v. Pennise, 548 F.2d 776, 777 (8th Cir. 1977).
This case arises out of plaintiff’s reassignment from a flying to non-flying position while a member of the Air National Guard (ANG) assigned to serve in the Missouri Air National Guard (MANG). Plaintiff alleges that he enlisted in the ANG on September 2, 1971, was commissioned an officer in the reserve of the Air Force on April 14, 1972, and earned career flying status on June 5, 1973. Effective May 30, 1978, plaintiff was assigned to serve in the MANG.
The relief plaintiff seeks
Initially it must be noted that to the extent plaintiff is requesting damages from his superior officers for alleged deprivations of his constitutional rights said action must be dismissed. “[Ejnlisted military personnel may not maintain a suit to recover damages from a superior officer for alleged constitutional violations.” Chappell v. Wallace, 462 U.S. 296, 103 S.Ct. 2362, 76 L.Ed.2d 586 (1983) (footnote omitted). Plaintiff, however, also asks this Court to order his superiors to follow AFR 35-13 procedures, or some other procedures which would comport with the requirements in his case. Thus the Court must address the merits of his due process claim.
Essential to a claim that one has been deprived of a property interest under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is establishing that which one has been deprived of is a protected property interest. Here plaintiff contends that he
“A property right involves more than a hope, or unilateral expectation of continued service.” Ampleman v. Schlesinger, 534 F.2d 825, 826 (8th Cir. 1976). “To have a property interest in a benefit a person clearly must have more than an abstract need or desire for it. He must have more than a unilateral expectation of it.” Board of Regents v. Roth, 408 U.S. 564, 577, 92 S.Ct. 2701, 2709, 33 L.Ed.2d 548 (1972). Thus, it is not enough that plaintiff wanted to remain in a flying job or that he expected to stay in a flying job. There must be a showing of “interests that are secured by ‘existing rules or understandings.' ... A person’s interest in a benefit is a ‘property’ interest for due process purposes if there are such rules or mutually explicit understandings that support his claim for entitlement to the benefit and that he may invoke at a hearing.” Perry v. Sinderman, 408 U.S. 593, 601, 92 S.Ct. 2694, 2699, 33 L.Ed.2d 570 (1972). See also Ampleman, supra. The record is devoid of any such rules or understandings. There is no evidence that the parties entered into a contract, either express or implied, that would allow plaintiff to remain in a flying job unless transferred to a non-flying job following AFR 35-13 procedures. There is no evidence of any statute providing for said procedures; nor does AFR 35-13 create any such entitlement. In fact, AFR 35-13, subsection 3-16 clearly anticipates that persons with flying status will at times be transferred to nonflying jobs.
. The Air National Guard has a complicated state and federal character. For a brief discussion of this character see Johnson v. Powell, 414 F.2d 1060 (5th Cir. 1969).
. According to the report of Ehrhardt H. Lange, Colonel in MANG and Deputy Chief of Staff, there were two incidents which precipitated Colonel Renschen’s actions. In the first plaintiff decided to remain overnight rather than to return to St. Louis in accordance with the flight plan and his orders. In the second plaintiff followed an unauthorized flight schedule when returning from England to St. Louis. The report indicates that in addition to these incidents, "there were many other instances where Captain Wilson defied authority. In fact his defiance of authority I would consider to be the primary cause of the actions taken.” Exhibit 1 to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, Tab 13 at p. 2.
. The Court was uncertain what plaintiff was complaining of in his complaint and what relief he was seeking. At oral argument plaintiff attempted to clarify this for the Court.
. AFR 35-13, subsection 3-16, reads as follows: 3-16. Reserve Officers Assigned to Non-rated Duties. If a Reserve officer who occupies a flying position is temporarily reassigned to nonrated duties, but is still considered as a rated asset, the officer’s aeronautical orders remain valid for a period not to exceed 5 years from the date of reassignment. EXCEPTION: This does not apply to flight surgeons. See paragraph 2-7c.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Scott E. WILSON v. Lt. General Emmett H. WALKER, Jr.
- Status
- Published