KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Recently, the Air Force Safety Center announced Phase II in the Air Force Chief of Staff’s Integrating Risk and Readiness campaign. Phase II of the campaign will focus on embedding risk management principles throughout all levels of command using the Policy, Practice, Tools, and Training construct to achieve consistent application of risk management processes in policy development, operational practices, training programs, and the deployment of risk management tools.
The primary focus of the campaign is educating Airmen on how to apply risk management principles into any operating environment. This includes risk identification, developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies, and ensuring the right person at the right level accepts the right risk.
“Our warfighters are preparing for operations in austere and challenging environments,” said Maj. William “BOD” Cummings, Integrating Risk and Readiness Phase II campaign lead. “Those shifts in the way we operate mean our Airmen will face hazards they may not have encountered before. They need to be ready to adapt to and mitigate any hazards they may face. It needs to be second nature to them.”
Policy updates will include updates to DAFI 90-802, Risk Management. Risk management principles will also be incorporated into other appropriate DAF publications. This will establish clear, enforceable, standardized policies integrating risk management principles across the Force.
To support the Practice line of effort, units are required to review and update their unit Risk Thresholds by using the Risk Assessment Matrix. Risk Thresholds are useful tools, in an easy-to-understand chart format, that commanders use to formally annotate the impact on a unit's mission and designate which leadership echelon is the appropriate risk acceptance authority based on the Risk Assessment Level. This will embed risk management principles into daily planning, execution, and evaluation processes to create a culture of risk awareness and proactive decision-making.
As part of the Tools element of the campaign, all DAF military and civilian personnel will use the Joint Risk Assessment Tool to individually complete a DD Form 2977, Deliberate Risk Assessment Worksheet based on scenarios chosen during their annual Risk Management Refresher Training. This combination of tools and training serves to increase baseline knowledge for application in future exercises, real-world risk identification and mitigation, and familiarity with existing risk management tools.
In addition to the JRAT and DD Form 2977, leaders at all levels are encouraged to utilize AFSEC’s already-available tools including SAFEREP, the Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance program, Line Operations Safety Audit, DAF Combined Mishap Reduction System, and Organizational Safety Assessments. More AFSEC risk management tools, including Unit Risk Forecasting, are currently in development.
The Training area of the campaign requires all personnel to complete the Risk Management Fundamentals course and an annual Risk Management Refresher Training. The refresher training will shift the focus to advanced application of the risk management concepts learned in both the Risk Management Fundamentals course and from IRR Phase I and apply them to practical scenarios. Combining the use of practical scenarios to identify hazards and mitigation measures while quantifying them on the DD Form 2977 in the JRAT will provide useful skills for future real-world use. If any personnel have not completed the Risk Management Fundamentals training, they must accomplish now during Phase II.
The desired end state of Phase II is a fully integrated risk management culture that enhances operational effectiveness, preserving resources, and protecting personnel from unnecessary risks.
“When safety hazards are minimized, we preserve combat capability in the shape of a lethal, ready force,” said Maj. Gen. Sean Choquette, DAF chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center. “Training safety principles and risk management as DAF core competencies empowers our Airmen and Guardians to operate safer, smarter, and more effectively at every level.”
Phase I of the multi-stage campaign kicked off in August 2024 with a MAJCOM-led stand-up day dedicated to risk management training and discussion. The goal of the entire Integrating Risk and Readiness campaign is to integrate risk management principles into all training, career fields, and operational environments across the U.S. Air Force, as well as implementing them within policy, directives, and education.
The campaign stems from the recognition that there will be increased risk as the Air Force makes changes to the way it operates, and that Airmen will need to be prepared to make risk-informed decisions.
To learn more about AFSEC risk management resources or the Integrating Risk and Readiness campaign, visit: https://www.safety.af.mil/Risk-Management/Integrating-Risk-and-Readiness/