Risk management - UNITAF Force Manual (FM)

FM/G314 - Risk management

Guide

FM/BG-1517 - Deliberate risk management

Guide

Leaders balance mission success against force preservation. Risk must be deliberate, not accidental. Risk management is the identification and control of hazards to preserve combat effectiveness while accomplishing the mission.

Risk Process

Identify hazards (enemy, terrain, logistics, etc).
Assess severity and likelihood.
Apply mitigation.
Accept or adjust based on mission value.

Example mitigation methods

Adjust route or formation.
Increase reconnaissance.
Reallocate assets.
Modify tempo.
Establish reserves.

Skill

FM/BS-1413 - Balance risk to an individual

Skill

Identify hazards affecting each individual before committing them to action.
Compare expected gain against probability and severity of becoming a casualty.
Adjust positioning, tasking, or support to reduce individual exposure.
Avoid assigning disproportionate risk to a single individual without necessity.
FM/BS-1409 - Disagree with orders where individual loss outweighs tactical value.
Reassess exposure continuously as the situation changes.

Skill

FM/BS-1414 - Balance risk to an element

Skill

Assess how an action affects the element’s overall combat effectiveness.
Weigh mission gain against potential degradation (casualties, supply loss, immobility).
Modify plans to reduce exposure while maintaining intent.
Avoid actions that create irreversible degradation without decisive payoff.
Preserve reserve combat power for follow-on tasks.
Disengage or reposition when risk exceeds sustainable limits.