chappell wallace argued april decided june respondent navy enlisted men brought action damages relief federal district petitioner superior officers alleging petitioners making duty assignments performance evaluations imposing penalties discriminated respondents race violation constitutional rights district dismissed complaint grounds actions complained nonreviewable military decisions petitioners entitled immunity respondents failed exhaust administrative remedies appeals reversed held enlisted military personnel may maintain suit recover damages superior officer alleged constitutional violations special status military required constitution contemplated congress created long recognized two systems justice one civilians one military personnel need unhesitating decisive action military officers equally disciplined responses enlisted personnel undermined judicially created remedy exposing officers personal liability hands charged command moreover congress constitutionally authorized source authority military system justice provided damages remedy claims military personnel constitutional rights violated superior officers action provide judicial response way remedy inconsistent congress authority taken together unique disciplinary structure military establishment congress activity field constitute special factors dictate inappropriate provide enlisted military personnel remedy superior officers pp reversed remanded burger delivered opinion unanimous assistant attorney general mcgrath argued cause petitioners briefs solicitor general lee deputy solicitor general geller david strauss robert kopp john cordes john murcko appointment argued cause filed brief respondents briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed mitchell lathrop terrence bingman naval reserve association daniel popeo paul kamenar nicholas calio washington legal foundation briefs amici curiae urging affirmance filed nanette dembitz burt neuborne american civil liberties union leonard boudin bill rights foundation barry sullivan lawyers committee civil rights law jack greenberg james nabritt iii steven winter steven phillips naacp legal defense educational fund chief justice burger delivered opinion granted certiorari determine whether enlisted military personnel may maintain suits recover damages superior officers injuries sustained result violations constitutional rights course military service respondents five enlisted men serve navy board combat naval vessel petitioners commanding officer vessel four lieutenants three noncommissioned officers respondents brought action officers seeking damages declaratory judgment injunctive relief respondents alleged minority race petitioners failed assign desirable duties threatened gave low performance evaluations imposed penalties unusual severity app respondents claimed inter alia actions complained deprived rights constitution laws including right discriminated race color previous condition servitude respondents also alleged conspiracy among petitioners deprive rights violation district southern district california dismissed complaint grounds actions respondents complained nonreviewable military decisions petitioners entitled immunity respondents failed exhaust administrative remedies appeals ninth circuit reversed appeals assumed bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents authorized award damages constitutional violations alleged complaint unless either actions complained reviewable petitioners immune suit appeals set certain tests determining whether actions issue reviewable civilian whether petitioners nonetheless immune suit case remanded district application tests granted certiorari reverse ii holding bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents supra authorized suit damages federal officials whose actions violated individual constitutional rights even though congress expressly authorized suits bivens progeny expressly cautioned however remedy available special factors counselling hesitation present see also carlson green bivens remedy may fashioned therefore must take account special factors counselling hesitation see bush lucas post special factors bear propriety respondents bivens action also formed basis decision feres addressed question whether federal tort claims act extends remedy one sustaining incident military service circumstances actionable wrong held even assuming act might read literally allow tort actions injuries suffered soldier service congress intend subject government claims member armed forces acknowledged consider relevant part circumstances ignore status wronged wrongdoer cases government waived sovereign immunity act subject liability feres acutely aware resolving question whether soldiers maintain tort suits government injuries arising military service focused unique relationship government military personnel noting liability existed federal tort claims act held congress intend create liability also took note various enactments congress provide systems simple certain uniform compensation injuries death armed services since recognized last analysis feres seems best explained peculiar special relationship soldier superiors effects maintenance suits discipline muniz quoting brown see also parker levy stencel aero engineering although case concerns limitations type nonstatutory damages remedy recognized bivens rather congress intent enacting federal tort claims act analysis feres guides analysis case need special regulations relation military discipline consequent need justification special exclusive system military justice obvious require extensive discussion military organization function without strict discipline regulation unacceptable civilian setting see parker levy supra orloff willoughby civilian life democracy many command military however reversed military necessity makes demands personnel without counterpart civilian life schlesinger councilman inescapable demands military discipline obedience orders taught battlefields habit immediate compliance military procedures orders must virtually reflex time debate reflection often noted peculiar special relationship soldier superiors brown supra see grimley acknowledged rights men armed forces must perforce conditioned meet certain overriding demands discipline duty burns wilson plurality opinion becomes imperative combat conduct combat inevitably reflects training precedes combat reason centuries experience developed hierarchical structure discipline obedience command unique application military establishment wholly different civilian patterns civilian courts must least hesitate long entertaining suit asks tamper established relationship enlisted military personnel superior officers relationship heart necessarily unique structure military establishment many framers constitution recently experienced rigors military life well aware differences civilian life drafting constitution anticipated kinds issues raised case response explicit grant plenary authority congress raise support armies provide maintain navy make rules government regulation land naval forces art cls clear constitution contemplated legislative branch plenary control rights duties responsibilities framework military establishment including regulations procedures remedies related military discipline congress courts acted conformity view congress authority area distance military civilian life summed orloff willoughby supra udges given task running army responsibility setting channels grievances considered fairly settled rests upon congress upon president subordinates military constitutes specialized community governed separate discipline civilian orderly government requires judiciary scrupulous interfere legitimate army matters army must scrupulous intervene judicial matters case arises context congress authority national defense military affairs perhaps area accorded congress greater deference difficult think clearer example type governmental action intended constitution left political branches directly responsible judicial branch electoral process moreover difficult conceive area governmental activity courts less competence complex subtle professional decisions composition training equipping control military force essentially professional military judgments subject always civilian control legislative executive branches ultimate responsibility decisions appropriately vested branches government periodically subject electoral accountability emphasis original member armed forces believes wronged commanding officer upon due application commanding officer refused redress may complain superior commissioned officer shall forward complaint officer exercising general jurisdiction officer made officer exercising general jurisdiction shall examine complaint take proper measures redressing wrong complained shall soon possible send secretary concerned true statement complaint proceedings thereon special status military required constitution contemplated congress created long recognized two systems justice extent parallel one civilians one military personnel burns wilson special nature military life need unhesitating decisive action military officers equally disciplined responses enlisted personnel undermined judicially created remedy exposing officers personal liability hands charged command feres must concern ed disruption peculiar special relationship soldier superiors might result soldier allowed hale superiors stencel aero engineering marshall dissenting quoting brown also congress constitutionally authorized source authority military system justice provided damages remedy claims military personnel constitutional rights violated superior officers action provide judicial response way remedy plainly inconsistent congress authority field taken together unique disciplinary structure military establishment congress activity field constitute special factors dictate inappropriate provide enlisted military personnel remedy superior officers see bush lucas post iii chief justice warren occasion note citizens uniform may stripped basic rights simply doffed civilian clothes warren bill rights military rev never held hold military personnel barred redress civilian courts constitutional wrongs suffered course military service see brown glines parker levy frontiero richardson special relationships define military life supported military establishment broad power deal personnel obvious reason courts determine impact upon discipline particular intrusion upon military authority might warren supra hold enlisted military personnel may maintain suit recover damages superior officer alleged constitutional violations judgment appeals reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion reversed remanded footnotes respondents appeals rely wilkes dinsman remand dinsman wilkes wilkes however inapposite involved cause action marine commanding officer damages suffered result punishment ask imply new kind cause action also since time wilkes significant changes made establishing comprehensive system military justice leave appeals decide remand whether portion respondents suit seeking damages flowing alleged conspiracy among petitioners violation maintained issue adequately addressed either appeals briefs oral argument