ORM is not a "Ka-ching!"

Flying Safety, June, 2004 by Tom Rempfer, Juan Gaud

In one of our previous flying squadrons we used to penalize each other jokingly if we said certain objectionable words. When the verbal "foul" occurred we'd say, "Ka-ching!" Eligible words included "Quality" ("Ka-ching!")--a lighthearted reflection on the era where our Air Force took a hack at integrating Total Quality ("Ka-ching!") Management. Today, the concepts of Operational Risk Management (ORM) have been similarly dictated to the entire USAF much like those Quality ("Ka-ching!") days of old. Consequently, we might "Ka-ching" ORM in jest as well, but to do so would make a joke out of common sense, safety and discipline--traits that keep us flying jets and out of trouble.

Believe you me, the last thing a fighter pilot by trade wants to do is teach a base ORM class or two in his spare time, but that's exactly what we've done, and it's caused us to see ORM in a different light. Instead of looking at the mandate as another burden, we keep it simple, and squarely in perspective. We see ORM as merely a tool to help us visualize and encourage common sense. By looking at the evolution of ORM in the civilian and military realm, we see broader applications relevant to our air and space force. This perspective helps us to digest and internalize ORM, versus having it jammed down our throats. The expertise we gained might help you or your crew ("Ka-ching!"), too.

The Evolution of Risk Management:

Our Air Force inherited ORM from the US Army. But just as our "sister" service admits, "The Army has not changed in the past 220-plus years," we realized that we needed to modify the ORM operation slightly to reflect our own distinct USAF corporate culture. First, let's look at the Army's risk management scheme, which has five steps: Step 1--Identify Hazards; Step 2--Assess Hazards; Step 3--Develop control options and make risk decision; Step 4--Implement Controls; and finally, Step 5--Supervise and Evaluate.

The USAF modified our ORM to a six-step construct, consciously adding one more step by splitting the Army's step 3 into the Air Force ORM steps 3 and 4. The Air Force specifically includes subordinate inputs as an integral part of the process in step 3, i.e., to analyze risk control measures. Our step 4 is the risk decision, and a fundamental principle in our USAF ORM program is to ensure that decision is made at the right level. And note that one of the most important aspects of our USAF ORM is that the arrow continues around the circle. This represents the risk management continuum, just as we train, brief, debrief and continuously, applying lessons learned in all aspects of our endeavors.

Now, we could go on and on analyzing how historical perspectives are relevant, and how in 1925 Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell voiced his belief that the Army Air Service should become an independent arm of the military following the crash of the airship Shenandoah. But we won't. Or we could give credit to Mitchell, the inspirational founder of the USAF, for actually being the first soldier in the Army to use ORM. He took a risk in challenging the Army leadership of the day over the applications of airpower. But none of this rehash, or giving General Mitchell the credit for the first application of ORM, is actually necessary. Suffice it to say that a Presidential Commission adopted the USAF 6-Step version of ORM for the federal executive branch.

And that brings us to USAF ORM. In 2002 Air Force Chief of Staff Gen John P. Jumper issued a memorandum directing the Air Force's senior leaders and commanders to ensure the complete integration of ORM in their areas of responsibility. A DoD Inspector General review called "Eagle Look" had previously critiqued the internalization of USAF risk management as lacking leadership and adequate training. So our senior leaders codified the program in Air Force Policy Directive 90-9. What's important for every aviator and Airman to understand is the top-to-bottom, force-wide empowerment provided by our Chief's directives. He wrote, "ORM provides Airmen at every level with a sound, mission-enabling tool to expand our expeditionary capabilities ... the natural way for our people to conduct their professional and personal activities."

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Other fundamentals include: accepting no unnecessary risks, accepting risks when benefits outweigh costs, and integrating ORM into operations and planning at all levels. That's the key-every level, every Airman, both in our professional and personal activities. It makes sense, common sense, to use ORM to avoid accidents, engender trust, stay out of trouble and make the right choices. It aptly extrapolates beyond the USAF as well, to our families and to our kids. For those who can relate, or will in the future, we're constantly trying to keep our kids from doing crazy stunts on their skateboards, snowboards and bikes, not to mention soon in their cars. Our kids require ORM!

We're not going to pontificate about the ORM steps, sub-step actions, models, analysis tools or risk control options, or waste your time with the litany of cause-event diagrams. They're all available in your on-base course, or online through the USAF Safety Center (http://afsafety.af.mil). They provide more guidelines, policy directives, USAF instructions, and multi-service tactics, techniques, and procedures; than you'd ever hope to never have to read. Fortunately, there's a convenient quick reference "pocket guide" online for us pilots.