IN THE CASE OF:  

		BOARD DATE:  7 May 2020

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20180012994


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Approval of an exception to policy to withdraw from the 
Blended Retirement System (BRS).  

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD:

*	DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record)
*	Army National Guard (ARNG) Retirement Points History Statement 
*	All Army Activities (ALARACT) Message Number 028/2018, dated 24 April 2018, 
subject:  BRS Opt-In Clarification Implementation Guidance 

FACTS:

1.  The applicant states he went to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service 
(DFAS) MyPay website to check his Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) and 
accidentally signed up for the BRS.  He is 55 years old and has been in the ARNG for 
38 years and he does not think the BRS is a good option for him or his family.

2.  The applicant enlisted in the ARNG on 12 April 1980.  His ARNG Retirement Points 
History Statement shows that as of 27 July 2018, he was an ARNG member who had 
accrued 3,688 retirement points and 38 years of creditable service for retired pay.

3.  Information obtained from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command confirms the 
applicant opted into the BRS on 19 January 2018.

4.  Guidance from the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, states that prior to the 
beginning of the BRS enrollment, DFAS moved the LES link on MyPay and replaced it 
with the BRS opt-in link.  Service members immediately began to contact their 
respective Services of their "erroneous" enrollment while trying to acquire an LES and 
surprisingly received notification that they had opted into the BRS.  After several 
complaints, the Department, in coordination with DFAS, moved the LES link back to its 
customary first position on MyPay and relocated the BRS link effective 26 January 
2018.  Given the relatively small number involved and the potential long term impact on 
the Soldier, the Army G-1 considers it the right thing to do and in the Army's best 
interest to give the benefit of the doubt to these Soldiers who notified the Army of their 
enrollment between 1-26 January 2018.

BOARD DISCUSSION:

1.  The Board carefully consider the applicant’s request, supporting documents and 
evidence in the records.  The Board considered the applicant’s statement, his record of 
service, the evidence of enrollment in BRS and the review and conclusions of the 
HQDA G1 advising official.  The Board considered the date of the applicant’s “opt in” 
and the subsequent change to the MyPay website to eliminate potential confusion by 
users.  Based on a preponderance of evidence, the Board determined that the 
applicant’s continued enrollment in BRS would be unjust. 

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	:XXX	:XX	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 relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of 
the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by:

-	Voiding the applicant’s opt in to the Blended Retirement System on 19 January 
2018, and;
-	Restoring the applicant’s eligibility for the retirement system in which he was 
previously enrolled.



		  
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.








REFERENCES:

1.  Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, Implementation of the BRS, dated 
27 January 2017, advised that the BRS was to go into effect 1 January 2018.  BRS 
offers service members portable government retirement savings, provides the 
Department of Defense (DoD) greater force management flexibility and is a key step in 
modernizing DoD’s ability to recruit, retain and maintain the talent required for military 
readiness, while reducing the direct cost to the American taxpayer.

	a.  Eligibility:  Service members who enter the military on or after 1 January 2018 will 
automatically be enrolled in BRS.  Service members who enter service on or before 
31 December 2017, are grandfathered into the legacy high-3 retirement system.  
However, service members in the active component as of 31 December 31 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 to remain in the legacy retirement system.

	b.  Those currently serving members who were eligible to opt into BRS would have 
an entire year to make their opt-in decision.  The opt-in or election period for BRS 
began 1 January 2018 and concluded on 31 December 2018.  

2.  ALARACT 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's policy is that this informed decision by a Soldier eligible to enroll in the BRS is 
irrevocable.  
//NOTHING FOLLOWS//
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20180012994


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ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


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