An After Action Review (AAR) is a professional discussion of an event, focused on performance standards, that enables firefighters 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 incident or project.

The AAR was developed by the military in order to create an avenue for feedback, promote evaluation and improve unit cohesion. The AAR is now used worldwide by military organizations, governments and private industry. It is considered a valuable tool in high-risk professions where the smallest mistakes can lead to disastrous results.

It is essential for wildland firefighters to learn from our mistakes and to capitalize on our successes.  The price we pay for failure can be exceptionally high and the amount of effort put into our successes is often left unrecognized. The objective of the After Action Review is to identify these success and failures.  Once they have been recognized, further exploration allows the team to perfect it's skills and be better prepared for future endeavors.

Most people (especially young firefighters) want to share their experiences.  In order to get things started, try sharing with your crew your positive or negative thoughts related to the day's events.  Once you (the leader) have demonstrated that the AAR works and that it will be part of your team's Standard Operating Procedures, the discussion will become more open.   

The critical step is to tap into your crewmembers' emotions.  Finding out what they did is not nearly as important as why they did it. Good active listening skills are essential.  Do not immediately solve or correct the issue, but let it play out.  Try to get to the root of the problem.  Encourage everyone to speak their mind.

In order to maximize the AAR, the conversation must have a certain level of candor and allow individual emotions to surface. Remember, this is not the time to reprimand; nor is it time for personal disputes to dominate.  Only issues that are related to the team's performance should be addressed.

Facilitating an AAR requires patience. Initially it is necessary for the leader to set the tempo.  The leader must be a part of the AAR and will have to occasionally accept criticism.  This is important because the team will be looking for affirmation of the AAR process. 

If you are new to AAR, read the Mission Centered Solutions AAR Guide and view the AAR Training Package. After a few AAR sessions, check out the "Tips and Tactics." This section is a compilation of several crews' experiences with AARs. When you are pressed for time, try the "Chainsaw AAR." The Chainsaw will save you time when food and sleep are priorities. The After Action Review is a great tool.  It takes time to develop, accept, and perfect so be patient and don't forget to use and share what you learn.

The Leadership Committee of the NWCG Training Working Team sponsored this project. Curtis Heaton of the U.S. Forest Service, developed the reference. The AAR Guide is provided courtesy of Mission Centered Solutions.

LEADERSHIP TOOLBOX REFERENCE
March 2005