Which War Fighting Function focuses on the protection of personnel and equipment?

The War Fighting Function that centers on the protection of personnel and equipment is indeed the one focused on ensuring safety and security during military operations. This function encompasses a range of actions and resources aimed at reducing vulnerability to threats and enhancing resilience against potential attacks. It includes measures such as defensive operations, risk management, and force protection strategies.

The protection function is crucial because it directly impacts the effectiveness and sustainability of military forces in the field. By safeguarding soldiers and assets, the protection function ensures that units can carry out their missions without excessive risk to personnel or loss of equipment, which is essential for achieving operational success.

In contrast, sustainment primarily deals with logistics and support functions; movement and maneuver focus on the ability to move forces and resources effectively; and fires are concerned with the application of firepower to disrupt enemy capabilities. Each of these functions plays an important role in military operations, but the critical aspect of safeguarding personnel and materiel clearly aligns with the definition of the protection War Fighting Function.