AFTER-ACTION REVIEW

1

• AFTER-ACTION REVIEW
• (AAR)

1
2
After-Action Review
We must continue to look critically at our
abilities to achieve decisive victory and aim to
improve. I believe that one of the single most
important innovations of the past 20 years...one
of the keys to our edge today...is the
After-Action Review. At all levels, the AAR
provides us an honest appraisal of our
performance and directs our efforts to correct
shortcomings. General Gordon R. Sullivan,
CSA ( Ret)
2
3
Terminal Learning Objective
Action Identify the procedures for planning,
preparing, and conducting a After Action Review.
(AAR)


Conditions
In a classroom environment and access to TC
25-20 Standard The new OC/T will be able to
plan,prepare, and conduct a After Action Review





3
4
Agenda

• Definition
• Objective
• Purpose
• Key points
• Guidelines
• Formal AAR
• Informal AAR
• The four phases of an AAR
• Summary

4
5
Definition

• An AAR is a professional discussion of an
  event, focused on performance standards, that
  enables soldiers to discover for themselves What
  happened, Why it happened and How to sustain
  strengths and improve on weaknesses.
• It is a tool leaders and units can use to get
  maximum benefit from every mission or task.

5
6
Objective

• The objective of an AAR is to improve
  individual and collective task performance by
  providing immediate feedback about how the
  training or tasks could have been done better.

6
7
Purpose

• Guide the unit towards achieving training
  objectives
• Identify lessons learned so they can be applied
  to subsequent training or task performance
• Increase confidence in unit leaders
• Increase proficiency of all participants

7
8
AAR Key Points

• Involve all participants
• Are conducted during or immediately after each
  event
• Focus on intended training objective
• Focus on soldier, leader and unit performance

8
9
AAR Key Points (cont)

• Use open-ended questions
• Are related to specific standards
• Determine strengths and weaknesses
• Link performance to subsequent training

9
10
Guidelines

• Maintain order and discipline
• Emphasize the goal is to achieve Army standards
• Make AARs positive in nature
• Avoid---
• Lecturing
• Critiquing, criticizing or judging performance
• Embarrassing soldiers or leaders
• Comparing units

10
11
Formal

• External OC/Ts
• Takes more time
• Complex training aids
• Scheduled beforehand
• Conducted when best supported
• Conducted to gain maximum training benefit
• Normally for Platoon-level and above

11
12
Informal

• May be conducted by either the internal Chain
  of Command or external OC/Ts
  
  
  
  
• Takes less time
• Use simple training aids
• Conducted when needed
• Held at training site

12
13
Informal (cont)

• Uses standard AAR format
• Limited resources
• Normally for soldier (leader), crew, squad and
  platoon-level training
• Supports higher-level formal AAR
• Held prior to higher-level formal AAR

13
14
Phases of the AAR

• Planning
• Preparation
• Conduct
• Follow-up

14
15
Enabling Learning Objective

• Action Identify the steps followed during the
  After Action Review planning phase
• Conditions In a classroom environment and
  access to TC 25-20
• Standard Successfully describe the steps
  followed during the planning phase of the AAR

15
16
Planning

• Establish objectives for the AAR
• Select and train qualified OC/Ts
• Review the training and evaluation plan, Army
  Training and Evaluation Program (ARTEP), mission
  training plans (MTPs) and soldier training
  publications (STPs)
• Determine when AARs will occur and identify
  participants

16
17
Planning (cont)

• Plan for stop points during exercise
• Select potential AAR sites
• Select/prepare training aids
• Draft/review AAR plan

17
18
AAR Plan
Observer
1LT Jones
Element
1st PLT
Priority Tasks
Occupy, prepare and defend a BP
Who Attends
All
When Held
1 hour after change of mission
Location
Behind 2d squad GH44319218
Special Requirements
LTC Smith will provide closing comments
18
19
Enabling Learning Objective

• Action Identify the steps followed during the
  After Action Review preparation phase
• Conditions In a classroom environment and
  access to TC 25-20
• Standard Correctly describe the steps followed
  during the preparation phase of the AAR

19
20
Preparation

• Review training objectives, orders, METL and
  doctrine
• Identify key events OC/Ts are to observe
• Observe the training and take notes
• Collect observations from other OC/Ts
• Begins once mission starts

20
21
AAR Observation Worksheet Example
21
22
Preparation (cont)

• Organize observations (Identify key discussion or
  teaching points)
• Gather observations from OPFOR representative
• Recon and prepare the selected AAR site
• Conduct rehearsals

22
23
23
24
Discussion Techniques

• Leading/thought-provoking questions
• Have unit members describe what happened in their
  own words
  
  
  
  
• Explore alternative courses of action
• Avoid detailed examination of events not directly
  related to major training objectives

24
25
Enabling Learning Objective

• Action Identify the steps followed during the
  conduct of the AAR
• Conditions In a classroom environment and
  access to TC 25-20
• Standard Correctly identify the steps followed
  during the conduct of the AAR

25
26
Format of the AAR

• Introduction and AAR rules of engagement (ROE)
• Review of objectives and intent
• Training objectives
• Commanders mission/intent (what was supposed to
  happen)
• OPFOR commanders mission/intent
• Relevant doctrine, tactics, techniques and
  procedures (TTPs)
• Summary of recent events (what happened)

26
27
Sample AAR ROE

• This is a learning event, not a critique
• Everyone should participate
• Does not grade success or failure
• No EXROE discussion
• Be thick-skinned
• No sleeping, eating, dipping or smoking

27
28
Format of the AAR (cont)

• Discussion of key issues
• Chronological order of events
• Battlefield operating systems (Co level)
• Key events/themes/issues
• Plan, Prep and Execute (technique)

28
29
Format of the AAR (cont)

• Discussion of other issues
• Soldier/ leader skills
  
  
  
  
• Tasks to sustain/improve
• Fratricide
• Others

29
30
Key Leader Assessment
Position
Sustain
Improve
CDR
1SG
FSO
1st Plt PL
2nd Plt PSG
Guide comments to your key issues
30
31
Format of the AAR (cont)

• Discussion of force protection/ safety
• Closing comments

31
32
Enabling Learning Objective

• Action Identify the steps followed during the
  follow up phase of the After Action Review
• Conditions In a classroom environment and
  access to TC 25-20
• Standard Correctly identify the steps followed
  during the follow up phase of the AAR

32
33
Follow-up

• Identify tasks requiring retraining
• Fix the problem - retrain
• Revise SOPs, integrate into future training plans
• Use to assist in making assessment

33
34
Summary

• Definition, objective and purpose
• Participation and key points
• Types of AARs
• The four phases of the AAR
• AAR videotape

34
35
BOTTOM LINE
We are all trainers and the AAR is the primary
training tool. Good AARs get results. Focus
your AAR on the major issues. Modify your
technique based upon the situation and adjust the
format to accomplish the mission. Get the unit
to admit their shortcomings and work together to
develop a solution. As the OC/T, you are
providing feedback on the units performance as
well as teaching the unit how to conduct their
own AARs.
35