Integrating Risk and Readiness Campaign, Phase Two

In 2024, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force issued a task order for Phase Two of the Integrating Risk and Readiness campaign. The overall intent of Phase Two is to move Risk Management (RM) from just a program to an operational imperative, teaching Airmen how to make risk-informed decisions across the full spectrum of operations, including identifying and mitigating increased risk during times of change. Although resources are constrained, the second phase is required to extend to operations in austere locations. This extension requires that RM tools and training be integrated into all aspects of planning, preparation, execution, and assessment. To accomplish these goals, the Air Force directed the completion of several tasks by December 31, 2025.

First, all personnel, military and civilian, should complete Risk Management Fundamentals training. This training is required by the Department of the Air Force Instruction (DAFI) 90-802, Risk Management, and is located on the Air Force’s MyLearning portal. Units of the Air Force ensure the completion of training.

The task order also requires annual refresher training for all personnel. Using the Joint Risk Assessment Tool (an interactive, web-based application [or by manually completing the Department of Defense Form 2977, Deliberate Risk Assessment Worksheet]) and exercise scenarios presented on MyLearning, all personnel should complete a risk assessment based on a given scenario or by using the steps provided to choose their own scenario.

Third, all levels of command should review unit risk thresholds and revise them as needed to meet current mission requirements. These thresholds should emphasize identifying risk acceptance at the appropriate level, ensuring risk levels accurately reflect mission impact, and displaying relevance to the unit’s current mission sets. While flight operations in Air Mobility Command (AMC) are governed by AMC Instruction 90-903, Aviation Operational Risk Management (AvORM) Program, reviewing unit risk thresholds should govern processes covered by DAFI 90-802, as opposed to units that already have a prescribed risk management process (e.g., acquisition, antiterrorism, budget/programming, fire protection, and cyber operations). Most units can fulfill this requirement with a memo from the Commander. A sample risk threshold policy is illustrated below; units should be tailored to meet their requirements in conjunction with DAFI 90-802’s Figure 3.3: Sample Risk Matrix.

In November 2024, in anticipation of these requirements, the AMC Director of Safety produced a bullet background paper on the subject. The intent was to prepare all Airmen to make risk-informed decisions, especially in agile combat employment scenarios. This effort encompasses four pillars:

1. Risk Data and Mitigation. This pillar seeks to leverage AMC’s Operations Risk Assessment Management System (OpsRAMS) and other proactive safety initiatives, such as the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA), described in DAFI 91-225, an AMC supplement to Aviation Safety Programs. It includes revitalizing the Trend Review and Action Committee, chaired by the AMC Deputy Commander and organized by the OpsRAMS branch. Moreover, AMC continues to prioritize annual LOSAs. This year’s LOSA centers around KC-46 and aerial port operations; the 2026 LOSA will focus on the C-17. Another objective of this pillar is to expand and shape AvORM to meet the challenges of ACE (e.g., the recent development of a worksheet tailored to Maximum Endurance Operations). Emphasis on sharing Aviation Safety Action Program and Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance data through the monthly working group, unit requests, and OpsRAMS monthly newsletters continues.
2. Risk-Informed Airmen Development. This pillar involves providing Airmen with RM tools and techniques. Risk-informed initiatives include RM continuing education courses to prepare Airmen for Deployable Combat Wing operations, incorporating lessons learned from Mission-Ready Airmen training, updates on RM and safety issues, and senior leader articles in AMC’s RM-themed magazine, The Mobility Forum.
3. Risk Management Integration. This pillar deals with RM integration or the blending of RM concepts and techniques into exercises and operations. During an AMC safety conference in April 2025, several RM learning sessions were held. Most recently, AMC assessed RM concepts during Mobility Guardian 25.
4. Risk Management Assessment and Continuous Improvement. This pillar establishes an environment of assessing RM culture within AMC’s “Just Culture” concept of continuous improvement to enhance and preserve combat capabilities and resources. The AMC safety staff has provided talking points and messaging to senior leaders for their discussions, speeches, and site visits. AMC Safety is frequently in discussion with wings to determine RM measures of effectiveness and measures of performance. Performances are assessed through biannual evaluations of each wing and validated during safety program evaluations every three years.

AMC Safety embraces the command ethos of “Airmen—Mission—Commitment” by continuing to provide materials to improve RM knowledge among its Airmen. For instance, the AMC Director of Safety uses the AMC Squadron Commander Course forum to discuss integrating risk and readiness. AMC Flight Safety discusses these concepts monthly at the Global Reach Aircraft Commander’s Course, including a refresher on the concepts incorporated into AvORM. Further, these tenets are discussed at the wing level in available forums, such as the biannual meeting with wing Risk Managers. As we process lessons learned this year, our products will provide more clarity and focus to help all Airmen be better prepared to operate in a resource-constrained remote environment, which will ensure we meet our nation’s objectives for Great Power Competition victory.