AAR

[SDF_Specialist]

Does CAP keep a list of after action reports from actual missions? I'm curious because I would like to see some if that is possible. I only know of a list you can use through the WMU to see what the mission # was, the date of the mission and who was involved. Is there something like this kept for the entire organization?

[Eclipse]

Kept at the wing level based on record retention regulations.

No national repository as far as I know.

[SDF_Specialist]

Would this be available to members within the Wing who were not part of the mission? Or would this be a violation of OPSEC?

[Eclipse]

I don't know about your wing, but unless there was some kind of issue that caused an
investigation or was confidential (HLS, CN, etc.), I can't imagine there would be any reason
not to let people see that kind of thing for general knowledge, especially if yo ask the right person
respectfully - I would start with the DO or ESO at the wing level.

You should know, though, that a lot of missions never have any kind of formal AAR narrative - just including a packet of appropriate forms and releases, etc.

[SDF_Specialist]

Yeah, I've heard that AAR are rare these days. I think they should be required, but that's just me.

[RiverAux]

Unfortunately, CAP does not have any formal system for conducting after action reviews of missions nor are they even recommended by CAP regulations.  

But, hey, what can you say about an organization that has been doing missing airplane searches for 60+ years but doesn't even have a written search doctrine for these missions?

[SDF_Specialist]

River, would you recommend this at unit level? I'm just starting as an ESO in my new unit, and I have a lot of training to do since I am the only GT qualified SM. We have one cadet who was recently qualified after attending NESA.

[RiverAux]

after action reviews?  yes, at every level CAP members should evaluate missions to see where they can improve.  You don't necessarily need to right a 20 page report on an ELT mission, but you should sit down and talk about it afterwards. 

[SDF_Specialist]

I wouldn't have to get permission from higher up to keep AARs, right?

[RiverAux]

No. 

If you do decide to write them down, I would suggest forwarding a copy of it through your chain of command as well.  Fair warning --- they may not always want to hear what they or someone else might have done wrong --- not everybody is actually interested in admitting there is room for improvement in how we do things. 

[Eclipse]

I wouldn't have to get permission from higher up to keep AARs, right?

Well...you don't need "permission", but you do need "standing" - at least for anyone to take you seriously.

Anybody can keep their own notes and ideas on "lessons learned", in fact they should, but you can't expect to write AAR's on other people's operations and have them accepted as fact unless you are in some position of authority and experience.

You don't say whether you are a GTL, but if not, as an ESO, yo have oversight of the unit's training program, and some latitude to contact agencies locally, but no authority over operations not in your unit.  If you're not a GTL, you and that cadet will be playing in other people's sandboxes for a while, and those people may not be interested in your ideas of what should or shoud not have happened during a respective mission.

Again, there is nothing to preclude you and your unit CC from discussing things you didn't like, and taking lessons for your unit.

[SDF_Specialist]

I am not a GTL because the unit I was at before refused to let me train as a GTL because I had no mission experince. The new unit wants me to train. I have no problem with finding flaws in my work as I want to be as good as I can be in ES. Only time will tell that though.