Court Opinion

ID: 9479721
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 07:27:05.941868+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:47:13.924411
License: Public Domain

SNEED, Circuit Judge,
concurring in the judgment:
This is a closer case than Judge Alar-con’s opinion indicates. The incident took place on a military base and involved active duty military personnel, and its resolution will require an evaluation of the manner in which these personnel performed their respective duties, including that of the base commander, in the light of the obligations imposed upon them by military regulations and orders. I assume, as does Judge Alar-con, that a civilian having no ties with the military would not be barred by Feres v. United States, 340 U.S. 135, 71 S.Ct. 153, 95 L.Ed. 152 (1950), from bringing suit against the United States on the claim Professor McGowan has stated. The issue, therefore, is whether Professor McGowan should be treated as if he had no ties to the military when in fact he does have some such ties. These latter ties, however, do not suggest that Professor McGowan’s active duty status is either imminent or even probable. Under these circumstances, I am prepared to treat him as a civilian.
Therefore, I concur in the judgment reached by the majority.