From an academic perspective, risk analysis is a reasonably well defined process. The application of risk analysis to a real-world problem however, is a difficult task with few well-defined approaches. The practical application of risk analysis is hindered by the lack of an adequate framework with which to approach the problem. Without such a systematic approach, it is difficult to provide useful risk information to a decision maker. The question of risk, and more fundamentally the uncertainties of future events, needs to be examined to identify the potential competitive and inherent risks associated with alternative military force postures. having a basic understanding of these uncertainties and their consequences is most important in the decision process. This paper is intended to aid analysts to understand and structure risk problems. It is not meant to be an academic exercise on the statistics of risk, but rather a practical "handbook" which may be used to view a risk problem as a sequence of steps in a process of problem solving.
