When you question your authority, knowledge, or experience necessary to determine whether the risk will outweigh the costs, what should you do?

• A. Consult a civilian
• B. Elevate the decision up the chain-of-command
• C. Make a quick guess
• D. Ignore it

Answer: (B)

When you lack the authority, knowledge, or experience needed to judge whether the risk is acceptable, you should escalate the decision up the chain of command. This ensures the decision gets proper oversight from someone with the right authority and a broader perspective, helps weigh risk against mission priorities, and taps the necessary expertise to determine if the risk is worthwhile. Trying to decide on your own without that authority can lead to unsafe or inappropriate risk-taking.

Consulting a civilian isn’t appropriate for military risk decisions because the chain of command is the proper channel for authority and accountability. Making a quick guess bypasses the formal risk assessment process, and ignoring the concern can lead to dangerous outcomes. Escalation keeps the process disciplined and protects personnel and missions.