Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) and Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1 Sailors received Blended Retirement System (BRS) training onboard Naval Weapons Station Cheatham Annex in Williamsburg, Virginia, July 28.

NAVELSG and NCHB-1 welcomed Chief Navy Counselor Cheyenne Delahunt, the U.S. Fleet Forces Command assistant fleet career counselor, to facilitate the training. The training aimed to inform leaders and eligible opt-in service members on the new BRS.

NAVELSG Command Master Chief Darcy Beauchamp said, "We are very happy to welcome Chief Delahunt back to 'Cargo Nation' to conduct this important training. The BRS is being implemented January 1, 2018, and it's important that our senior leaders and service members be educated and informed of the ins and outs, benefits and resources available under this new system," said Beauchamp.

Active component (AC) members are eligible to opt-in if they entered military service on or before December 31, and have less than 12 years of service. Reserve component (RC) members, including full-time support (FTS) members, can opt-in if they entered military service on or before December 31, and they have accumulated fewer than 4,320 retirement points as of Dec. 31.

Delahunt stated, "The decision to stay in the current retirement system or opt-in to BRS is an important and irrevocable decision that eligible Sailors must make based on their own individual circumstances. This new system is great for some, but not all, and the goal of this training was to ultimately help inform eligible service members in making that decision."

Personnel Specialist 1st Class Meghan Costello, of NAVELSG administrative department, said, "Overall the training was really informative and I wasn't aware under the new system the redux has gone away and lump sum choices have been added. I think this new system is good because Sailors that decide to get out of the Navy prior to a full career still have something to fall back on," said Costello.

The Department of Defense Blended Retirement System Comparison Calculator was recently released and is now available to Sailors. The calculator is designed to assist eligible service members in comparing the legacy military retirement system - commonly referred to as the High-3 System - and BRS.

Yeoman 2nd Class Tai Dao, of NAVELSG administrative department, said, "This new program is not for everybody, but Sailors need to take a good look at their situations and do their homework to see if the BRS works for them. The BRS calculator just came out and I plugged in the numbers for myself and have found I will be sticking with the old system, but my shipmate plugged in his numbers and found in his case it was better to opt-in."

If an opt-in eligible Sailor decides he or she wants to opt-in to the new system, the Sailor needs to log into the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) and switch to the BRS, but needs to do so before Jan. 1, 2018. If the Sailor wishes to be grandfathered in to the current retirement system, he or she does not need to do anything apart from completing the mandatory BRS training on Joint Knowledge Online.

Delahunt said, "The benefits of the BRS is a greater portability of retirement benefits, earlier savings for retirement; it's no longer an all or nothing plan. It covers more people, has recruiting incentives, continuation pay adds incentive to stay a full career, the lump sum option give choices at retirement, and it overall encourages savings for retirement."

For more information go to NAVADMIN 217/16, NAVADMIN 259/16 and/or NAVADMIN 020/17.

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