Transcript AFTER-ACTION REVIEW (AAR) After-Action Review “We must continue to look critically at our abilities to achieve decisive victory and aim to improve. I believe that one.

AFTER-ACTION
REVIEW
(AAR)
1
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
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
Agenda
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4
Definition
Objective
Purpose
Key points
Guidelines
Formal AAR
Informal AAR
The four phases of an AAR
Summary
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
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
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
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
AAR Key Points (cont)
• Use open-ended questions
• Are related to specific standards
• Determine strengths and
weaknesses
• Link performance to subsequent
training
9
Guidelines
• Maintain order and discipline
• Emphasize the goal is to achieve
Army standards
• Make AARs positive in nature
• Avoid---
10
–Lecturing
–Critiquing, criticizing or judging
performance
–Embarrassing soldiers or leaders
–Comparing units
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
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
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
Phases of the AAR
•
•
•
•
14
Planning
Preparation
Conduct
Follow-up
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
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
Planning (cont)
•Plan for stop points during exercise
•Select potential AAR sites
•Select/prepare training aids
•Draft/review AAR plan
17
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
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
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
AAR Observation
Worksheet Example
Training/exercise title:
Event:
Date/time:
Location of observation:
Observation (player/trainer action):
Discussion (tied to task standard if possible):
Recommendations (indicate how the unit could have
executed the task(s) better or describe training the unit
will need to improve future performances):
21
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
SAMPLE AAR SITE SET-UP
• Position all players in the AAR Site
– Keep sub-unit integrity
– Put leaders in the front
– OPFOR on the side
• Brief unit on how the AAR will be conducted
OPFOR LDR
WATER PT
CDR
SAND
TABLE
TO LANE
23
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
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
Format of the AAR
• Introduction and AAR rules of
engagement (ROE)
• Review of objectives and intent
–Training objectives
–Commander’s mission/intent (what was
supposed to happen)
–OPFOR commander’s mission/intent
–Relevant doctrine, tactics, techniques
and procedures (TTPs)
26
• Summary of recent events (what
happened)
Sample AAR ROE
27
• 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
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
Format of the AAR (cont)
•Discussion of other issues
–Soldier/ leader skills
–Tasks to sustain/improve
–Fratricide
–Others
29
Key Leader Assessment
Position
Sustain
Improve
CDR
1SG
FSO
1st Plt PL
2nd Plt PSG
Guide comments to your key issues
30
Format of the AAR
(cont)
• Discussion of force protection/
safety
• Closing comments
31
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
Follow-up
• Identify tasks requiring retraining
• Fix the problem - retrain
• Revise SOPs, integrate into future
training plans
• Use to assist in making assessment
33
Summary
• Definition, objective and
purpose
• Participation and key
points
• Types of AARs
• The four phases of the
AAR
• AAR videotape
34
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
unit’s performance as well as teaching the unit
how to conduct their own AARs.
35