text: Chapter 1
  * Serving as the DOD focal point for liaison with U.S. industry with regard to SA activities.
  * Administering assigned SC programs. (See DODD 5105.65 for more information about DSCA.)
  OPERATIONAL AND STRATEGIC RISK MITIGATION
  1-86. Effective SC activities involve mitigating and managing strategic and operational risk from force
  generation to mission employment. Risk mitigation does not rely on the maturity of the force or supporting
  institutions as a whole but is focused on the foreign element in question. Conditions determine when to use
  an element of FSF. Commanders and staffs use assessments obtained from Army forces to determine
  objectives and requirements for mitigating and managing risk. Risk applies to how well FSF, USG agencies,
  and other host-nation and partner organizations can tolerate changes in an OE, as well as the challenges and
  conditions inherent to the operation. Leaders of U.S. forces and FSF assess the risk associated with
  employment and mitigate that risk as much as possible.
  1-87. Risk reduction measures identified in SC planning add to the plan’s flexibility during execution. A
  flexible plan can mitigate risk by partially compensating for a lack of information. SC planning requires a
  thorough, comprehensive approach to analyzing and agreeing upon risk reduction measures. Each SC activity
  is distinct based on context and changes over time. There is a risk of focusing SC efforts in one area or type
  of relationship at the expense of others based on short-term goals. To mitigate this risk, SC activities should
  be regarded as providing the means and ways to achieve meaningful mid-to long-term objectives with
  partners as well as the global end states. During the Cold War, SC primarily focused on interoperability
  programs with core partners and less frequently on building military capabilities of a weak and fledgling
  nation.
  STRATEGIC RISK MITIGATION
  1-88. SC activities in one country can affect the regional and global security environment. SC can complicate
  relationships with other regional partners, especially when there is tension between states within a region.
  Commanders and their staffs should be aware of the possible strategic risks of SC to inform decision makers
  and to mitigate the risk where possible. This could affect the planning and execution of SC in other countries
  in the region.
  OPERATIONAL RISK MITIGATION
  1-89. Operational risks are those associated with the Army’s ability to execute strategy successfully within
  acceptable human, materiel, financial, and strategic costs. Consideration of operational risk requires assessing
  the Army’s ability to execute current, planned, and contingency operations in the near term. Key issues that
  pose risk to Army SC activities in the near term include limited SFA authority, limited ability to work with
  forces outside the ministry of defense, and partner will.
  1-90. As a FSF capability matures, and FSF successfully completes more autonomous operations, the
  echelon and degree of partnering may decrease depending on the relationship with a particular country and
  the strategic objectives. While effective coordination is always required and initial efforts may require
  completely fused efforts, the objective is to build the capability and capacity of FSF to conduct all efforts
  autonomously. Operations and plans are always at risk of compromise, and prudent operational security and
  foreign disclosure policies and procedures should be taken when sharing information and intelligence.