                                                   I.

          Jackson commenced his employment with the Air Force in April 1984, accepting a civilian

position as an Electronic Measurement Equipment Mechanic at Sheppard Air Force Base. Soon

thereafter, he filed an informal complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

("EEOC"), alleging that the Air Force had discriminated against him on the basis of race by failing

to hire him when he first applied for the position in 1982. This o riginalEEOC complaint was

resolved in September 1984 by an informal agreement.

          In March 1985, the Air Force discharged Jackson, who filed administrative charges alleging

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       District Judge of the Eastern District of Texas, sitting by designation.
that his termination constituted both racial discrimination in employment and retaliatory discharge.

This second complaint was referred to the Air Force Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint

Investigator (the "Investigator").

         While his charges of racial discrimination and retaliation were pending, Jackson filed a third

complaint in December 1986, alleging that the Air Force had failed to comply with the terms of the

1984 settlement and seeking to reinstate his original charge that the Air Force