The Navy and Marine Corps manage risk daily – so why not streamline the assessment process with an easy-to-use, automated system?

The Joint Risk Assessment Tool (JRAT), is an interactive, web-based application that helps the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard apply risk management per Joint Publication 3-0, Joint Operations, as well as each service’s respective risk management publications.

Previously, each service used its risk assessment tool, and even within the Navy, commands would use a Word or Excel document replicating the deliberate risk assessment, according to George Arici, a high-risk training analyst for the Naval Safety Center (NAVSAFECEN).

In 2019, the Army fielded JRAT to replace the Ground Risk Assessment Tool (GRAT), which was developed in 2008. Using feedback and recommendations from GRAT users, JRAT offers a separate portal for each service as well as service-specific mishap statistics, mishap summaries, guidance and vignettes – all specific to mission type.

Denis Komornik, a risk management education and training specialist with NAVSAFECEN, was one of the key players who collaborated with the Army to develop the JRAT’s Navy mishap vignettes.

“The vignettes give Navy personnel an idea on how to look at hazards, put controls in place for those hazards and get the ball rolling for missions,” said Komornik, adding there are numerous mission sets available to help create a risk assessment.

In addition to the option of selecting from pre-populated mission types, subtasks, hazards and controls, JRAT provides users with the freedom to create mission types, subtasks and hazards – or even use a mission type from another service if applicable.

“The other nice thing about this tool is it's a lot more detailed when it comes down to identifying the controls to put in place,” Komornik said. “JRAT actually says how you’re going to do it and who's responsible – and that wasn't done in some of the other risk assessments that were out in the fleet.”

Although JRAT is CAC-enabled, another benefit of the tool is saving the assessment within the program and sharing it across the services – worldwide.

Using the Deliberate Assessment Worksheet, DD Form 2977, Komornik said JRAT’s goal is to get all the services on the same page, speaking the same language regarding risk management.  

“We want to minimize the risk as best we can through proper controls and then we want to execute the mission,” Komornik said. “And if we do it right, safety is a byproduct of effective risk management.”

Military and civilian users must have an account to access JRAT. For more information, visit https://jrat.safety.army.mil/ or contact your risk management assistant.