uarterdeck
www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | Section 2 | Thursday, June 10, 2021 1
U.S. Marines in Australia are ready to rapidly provide assistance The Darwin and the Australian Defence Force recently completed a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise called “Crocodile Response.” Page B6
Sailors aboard USS Constitution heave lines to furl the ship’s Spanker Sail. (MC3 ALEC KRAMER)
Blended Retirement System CY 2022 continuation pay announced By MC1 Mark D. Faram
Chief Of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
WASHINGTON — All Sailors enrolled in the Blended Retirement System qualify for incentive pay at the 12-year “mid-career” point. The Navy released the calendar year 2022 Blended Retirement System (BRS) continuation pay (CP) rates for eligible Sailors June 3rd in NAVADMIN 114⁄21. Under BRS, Sailors participate in a modernized retirement program. Throughout their career, Sailors who opt-in or were auto-enrolled in the Thrift Savings Plan receive a matching contribution of up to five
percent of their base pay from the Navy. Those who stay until retirement after 20 years still get retired pay at a two percent multiplier for every year of service (YOS), vice the two and a half percent multiplier they would receive under the legacy retirement system. One additional benefit of BRS is continuation pay. All Sailors enrolled in BRS qualify for the incentive, which currently comes at the 12-year “mid-career” point. To collect the incentive, eligible Sailors must do two things. They must request the pay before they arrive at their 12th pay anniversary and they must agree to obligate for another
four years of service via Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) before they can collect. If the Sailor has a correct email on file in NSIPS, notification that this milestone is approaching will come at the six, three and one-month dates prior to reaching their 12th YOS. For Active Duty and Full-Time Support (FTS) Sailors, the calendar year 2022 payout is two and a half times their monthly base pay. For drilling reservists, it is half of one month’s salary. This is the same amount as the calendar year 2021 payout. For example, an Active Duty or FTS E-5 or E-6 with 12 YOS is eligi-
ble for a one-time payout of roughly $9,000 and $10,000, respectively. In the Selected Reserve, those payouts would be approximately $1,800 for the E-5 and close to $2,000 for the E-6. The incentive is taxable income, but for Sailors who obligate for the pay while in an eligible Combat Tax Exclusion Zone, the entire amount is tax-free. Sailors get to choose the payment method and can elect either a lump-sum or in equal installments, which can’t exceed four annual payments over four consecutive years. Sailors can also collect this pay in addition to any other career-specific
or retention incentives. Sailors can update their email and elect CP through NSIPS at https:// my.navy.mil/quick-links.html. Those unable to choose CP through NSIPS can manually select the pay through their command career counselor. More CP information, including instructions on electing CP in NAVADMIN 302⁄17 and MILPERSMAN 1810-081. For any other CP issues, Sailors can contact MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) at 833-330MNCC or askmncc@navy.mil. Sailors eligible for the mid-career CP can view the CY 2022 pay rates memorandum at https://www.mnp. navy.mil/group/pay-and-benefits.
Exercise BALTOPS 50 kicks off From Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO Public Affairs
Capt. Marc Ratkus, commanding officer for the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), delivers remarks during a 79th anniversary of the Battle of Midway commemoration ceremony. (GLENN SIRCY)
CIWT, IWTC Corry Station commemorate 79th anniversary of the Battle of Midway By Glenn Sircy
Center For Information Warfare Training Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) and Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station commemorated the 79th anniversary of the Battle of Midway
during a morning ceremony on Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida, June 4. The Battle of Midway was a naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II from June 4-7, 1942. Widely considered a turning point in World War II’s Pacific theater, the U.S. victory at the Battle of Midway significantly curbed Japan’s offensive
capabilities, shifting the tide of the war in the Allies’ favor. Staff and students attended and participated in the ceremony in which they shared critical points of the Battle of Midway and what events and actions by the information warfare community leading up Turn to Battle of Midway, Page 7
U.S. 6TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS — The 50th Baltic Operations (BALTOPS 50) exercise, the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region, kicked off, June 6. Between June 6-18, air and maritime assets from 18 NATO Allies and partner nations will participate in live training events that include air defence, anti-submarine warfare, amphibious operations, maritime interdiction, mine countermeasure operations. “This year, we celebrate the 50th BALTOPS, an exercise that sets the foundation of interoperability across the Alliance,” said U.S. Vice Adm. Gene Black, commander, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO and commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. “BALTOPS stands as the keystone of our exercise season, demonstrating half a century of the unwavering commitment of our partners and Allies. Lessons learned in BALTOPS enable international strike group operations, advanced missile defense capabilities and seamless surface action group missions.” BALTOPS 50 consists of two at-sea training phases: the combat enhancement training (CET) and force integration training (FIT) portion and the final tactical phase of the exercise (TACEX). During the first six days (the
CET/FIT phase), ships and aircraft will transit through the Danish Straits, focusing on maritime operations in critical chokepoints, ensuring access and freedom of navigation in the Baltic Sea. The exercise will continue to move East during its two phases, operating in accordance with international law and supported by participating Allies and partners. The exercise will culminate with the TACEX phase, where the exercise paradigm will shift into a “free-play” portion, and commanders are given more freedom to run their own tactical programs. The TACEX phase is designed to better represent operating in real-world situations. For the first time, exercise design incorporates defensive cyber warfare tactics, techniques and procedures as BALTOPS continues to adapt and train to ensure an asymmetric advantage in the era of modern warfare. Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) will again command and control BALTOPS from its headquarters in Oeiras, Portugal. II Marine Expeditionar y Brigade and Expeditionar y Strike Group 2 will command and control exercise Marine forces throughout the exercise from aboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), demonstrating international naval integration and Turn to BALTOPS, Page 7