ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


		IN THE CASE OF:  

		BOARD DATE:  12 March 2020

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20180007268


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  removal from the Blended Retirement System (BRS).

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD:  
DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record under the Provisions of 
Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552).

REFERENCES:

1.  Deputy Secretary of Defense memorandum, dated 27 January 2017, subject:  
Implementation of the BRS, states the BRS went into effect on 1 January 2018.  BRS 
offers service members portable government retirement savings and provides the 
Department of Defense (DOD) greater force management flexibility.  BRS is a key step 
in modernizing DOD's ability to recruit, retain, and maintain the talent required for 
military readiness.

	a.  All members of the uniformed services who initially entered military or uniformed 
service on or before 31 December 2017 are grandfathered under their legacy retirement 
plan and will not be automatically switched to the BRS.

	b.  Service members who entered the military on or after 1 January 2018 will 
automatically be enrolled in BRS.  Service members who entered service on or before 
30 December 2017 are grandfathered into the legacy high-3 retirement system.  
However, service members in the Active Component as of 31 December 2017, who 
have served fewer than 12 years, or service members in the Reserve Component who 
have accrued less than 4,320 retirement points as of 31 December 2017 and are in a 
paid status, will have the option of electing BRS or remaining in the legacy retirement 
system.  Those currently serving members who are eligible to opt into BRS will have an 
entire year to make their opt-in decision.  The opt-in or election period for BRS began 
on 1 January 2018 and concluded on 31 December 2018.

	c.  The decision by a member eligible to elect to enroll in the BRS is irrevocable.

2.  All Army Activities Message Number 028/2018 states that effective 1 January 2018, 
eligible Soldiers who completed the mandatory training were eligible to enroll in the 
BRS.  The DOD policy is that this informed decision by a Soldier eligible to enroll in the 
BRS is irrevocable.  Several Soldiers from all components have notified their respective 
component and the Army G-1 of their unintentional enrollment in the BRS.

FACTS:

1.  The applicant states he never wanted to apply for the BRS and did not opt in.  He 
received an email stating he was enrolled in the BRS on 9 January 2018.  He did not 
click on the link or receive the three warnings for enrollment.  He believes this was a 
system error.

2.  The applicant enlisted in the Maine Army National Guard on 28 August 1992.  He 
extended in the Army National Guard on 20 September 2013 for the eighth time, 
extending for 6 years until 28 August 2020.

3.  The applicant's record of accrued retirement points is not available for review.

BOARD DISCUSSION:

1.  The Board carefully considered the applicant’s request, supporting documents and 
evidence in the records.  The Board considered the applicant’s statement, his record 
and length of service, the period of time he stated that he was notified of enrollment and 
the initial enrollment period for BRS.  The Board considered an advisory opinion from 
HQDA DCS G1 related to changes to the MyPay screens during the first month of BRS 
enrollment.  Based on a preponderance of evidence, the Board determined that the 
applicant’s enrollment in BRS was in error and a correction was required. 

2.  After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that 
relief was warranted.

?
BOARD VOTE:

Mbr 1	Mbr 2	Mbr 3

:XXX	:XX	:XXX	GRANT FULL RELIEF

:	:	:	GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF

:	:	:	GRANT FORMAL HEARING

:	:	:	DENY APPLICATION


BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a 
recommendation for partial relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all 
Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by:

-	Voiding his enrollment in the Blended Retirements System;
-	Reinstating his enrollment in the legacy retirement system that applied to him 
prior to January 2018.



	 
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the 
Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.


//NOTHING FOLLOWS//
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	AR20180007268


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