Robert M. Owings v. Secretary of the United States Air Force (Safos)

MacKINNON, Circuit Judge:

In 1959, Owings (plaintiff-appellee) was a sergeant in the Air Force stationed at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. He devoted a great deal of his time to playing the slot machines and participating in other gambling at the Non-Commissioned Officers Club (hereafter the “Club”) on the base. In due time his financial situation became precarious because of his large gambling losses but he continued writing checks which he expected to make good by future deposits of his pay and by future loans from relatives. He cashed many of these checks at the Club which gave in exchange…