Retired Pay of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, USMC (Retired)

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed a retired Marine Corps' officer's entitlement to retired pay. GAO noted that: (1) the Navy suspended the officer's retired pay after he was convicted of three offenses involving destruction of federal records; (2) as a result of the conviction, the officer was required to forfeit his office and was disqualified from holding any other U.S. office; (3) there was serious doubt as to the officer's entitlement to retired pay, since retired pay was not a pension for prior service, but reduced pay in return for reduced responsibilities and obligations, which the convicted officer could no longer perform; and (4) the officer could challenge any denial of his pay in the federal courts and obtain a conclusive determination of his entitlement to retired pay.