text: Chapter 8
  and considering U.S. interests and objectives, the BCT commander and staff planners determine which
  OTERA-A tasks are required to build the proper capability and capacity levels within the various units of the
  FSF. Assessments of the FSF against a desired set of capabilities will assist in developing an OTERA-A
  based plan to improve the FSF. (See FM 3-22 for additional information.) The following are basic
  descriptions of the OTERA-A tasks:
  (cid:122) Organize. All activities taken to create, improve, and integrate doctrinal principles, organizational
  structures, capability constructs, and personnel management. This may include doctrine
  development, unit or organization design, command and staff processes, and recruiting and
  manning functions.
  (cid:122) Train. All activities taken to create, improve, and integrate training, leader development, and
  education at the individual, leader, collective, and staff levels. This may include task analysis, the
  development and execution of programs of instruction, implementation of training events, and
  leader development activities.
  (cid:122) Equip. All activities to design, improve, and integrate materiel and equipment, procurement,
  fielding, accountability, and maintenance through life cycle management. This may also include
  fielding of new equipment, operational readiness processes, repair, and recapitalization.
  (cid:122) Rebuild or Build. All activities to create, improve, and integrate facilities. This may include
  physical infrastructures such as bases and stations, lines of communication, ranges and training
  complexes, and administrative structures.
  (cid:122) Advise/Assist. All activities to provide subject matter expertise, guidance, advice, and counsel to
  FSF while carrying out the missions assigned to the unit or organization. Advising may occur
  under combat or administrative conditions, at tactical through strategic levels, and in support of
  individuals or groups.
  (cid:122) Assess. All activities for determining progress toward accomplishing a task, creating an effect, or
  achieving an objective using MOEs and MOPs to evaluate FSF capability. Once an objective is
  achieved, the focus shifts to sustaining it.
  DECISIONS TO REDUCE OR OFFSET RISK
  8-237. RM (see chapter 4) is the Army’s process for helping organizations and individuals make informed
  decisions to reduce or offset risk. RM measures identified in SFA planning add to the plan’s flexibility during
  execution. A flexible plan can mitigate risk by partially compensating for a lack of information. SFA planning
  requires a thorough, comprehensive approach to analyzing and agreeing upon risk reduction measures. Each
  SFA activity is distinct based on context and changes over time. There is a risk of focusing SFA efforts in
  one area or type of relationship at the expense of others based on short-term goals. To mitigate this risk, SFA
  activities should be regarded as the providing means and ways to achieve meaningful mid- to long-term
  objectives with partners as well as the end states.
  8-238. Reducing or alleviating risk does not only rely on the SFA force and supporting agencies but also
  on the FSF elements in question. Conditions determine when to use an element of the FSF. The BCT
  commander and staff use assessments to determine objectives and requirements for reducing or offsetting
  risk. Risk applies to how well the FSF, the BCT, and other host-nation and partner organizations agencies
  can tolerate changes in the operational environment, as well as the challenges and conditions inherent to the
  operation.
  8-239. The BCT commander and FSF commander assess the risk associated with the employment forces
  and mitigate that risk as much as possible. For example, advisors from the BCT play a significant role in
  security cooperation mission such as the SFA. They live, work, and sometimes are required to fight with their
  partner FSF. The relationship between advisors and FSF is vital. Advisors are not merely liaison officers.
  Though they do not command FSFunits, they are a necessary element to understanding the human dimension,
  specifically managing relationships and mitigating risk between the SFA forces and FSF, across the range of
  military operations.