WATCHMAN : DEBRIEF
AFTER ACTION REVIEW SYSTEM  ·  MODULE 24
COMMAND SUITE
MODULE 01  ·  DEBRIEF
AAR Registry
All completed after-action reviews — indexed by event type, date, and severity.
MODULE 02  ·  DEBRIEF
New After Action Review
Structured four-question AAR — what was planned, what happened, what worked, what must change.
ⓘ WHAT IS AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW?  —  Click to expand ▼
00  ·  Ground Rules — TC 25-20 Ch. 4 (Required)
TC 25-20 requires that ground rules be established before every AAR. Read these aloud if others are present. Everyone participating agrees to them before the discussion begins. Howe: "Keep it professional, sterile, and do not allow finger pointing. Create an atmosphere where people are encouraged to bring up problems and how to fix them."
RULE 1 — NO RANK IN THIS ROOM
Everyone's observation carries equal weight. Senior leaders sit to the flanks and rear. The person who saw it most clearly speaks. No role or seniority overrides what someone actually witnessed.
TC 25-20 §4 — "AARs maximize training benefits by allowing soldiers, regardless of rank, to learn from each other."
RULE 2 — THIS IS NOT A CRITIQUE OR PERFORMANCE REVIEW
No blame is assigned. We are not grading individuals or marking success or failure. We are discovering what happened and why. Willink: when something goes wrong, the leader owns it and moves to the fix — not to the blame.
TC 25-20 §4 — "An AAR does not grade success or failure. There are always weaknesses to improve and strengths to sustain."
RULE 3 — HONESTY OVER APPEARANCES
The goal is to get better, not to look good on paper. An AAR that glosses over mistakes produces nothing. Howe: "AARs are critical to ensuring honesty, integrity, and candor are held to a high standard." Say what you saw. Fix it one time, the first time.
TC 25-20 Preface — "The environment must be one in which leaders openly and honestly discuss what actually transpired."
01  ·  Event Header — Basic Information
Start by identifying the event. Fill in what you know. Fields marked * are required.
Give it a short name you will recognize later. Be specific enough that you can tell it apart from other events.
The date the event occurred — not necessarily today.
Pick the category that best describes the event. Use "Other" if nothing fits.
▲ What do these levels mean? (click to expand)
Where did this event take place?
Who is filling out this AAR? That's probably you. Your name or your role in the group.
Who was present during the event? Names, roles, or a general description is fine.
Most preparedness AARs are informal — a group conversation shortly after the event while it's still fresh. Formal reviews are pre-planned and more structured, often with written notes prepared in advance.
How did you organize the discussion? Chronological works best for most events. Key Events is useful when time is short. By Function is best for complex group exercises covering multiple areas.
02  ·  Event Objective — What Standard Were You Testing? (TC 25-20 Fig. 1-2)
TC 25-20 Figure 1-2: every AAR must begin with a review of the training objective and the standard being measured against. Without a stated standard, you cannot determine whether performance was adequate. Example: the standard is not "the generator ran" — the standard is "72-hour power for critical medical equipment with less than 30 minutes of manual intervention."
Howe: “Fix it one time, the first time.” That requires knowing what “fixed” looks like. If no standard existed, defining one is itself a corrective action.
03  ·  What Happened — The Situation
Describe the situation as it was before the event. What plans, equipment, or procedures did you have in place? What were you expecting? Even "we had no plan" is a valid answer and an important one.
Tell the story of what happened, in plain terms. Include a timeline if you can. Stick to facts — what you saw, heard, and did. Do not assign blame here. If multiple people were there, capture all perspectives.
04  ·  Sustain — What Went Well?

What does "Sustain" mean? These are things that worked — decisions made, skills used, equipment that performed, or procedures that held up under pressure. The point is to identify them clearly so you keep doing them and build on them.

Add one entry per item. For each one, say what it was, why it worked, and what that means for the future.

Example: “Generator started immediately.” — Why: We follow a monthly test-and-fuel discipline. — Conclusion: Monthly generator maintenance protocol is working. Keep it on the calendar permanently.

+ ADD SUSTAIN ITEM
05  ·  Improve — What Must Change?

What does "Improve" mean? These are gaps, failures, or near-misses — things that did not work, were missing, or could have gone much worse. Be honest. This section only has value if you tell the truth.

For each item: describe the problem, explain why it happened, and — if possible — define a specific action you will take to fix it. A problem without a fix is just a complaint.

Example: “Fuel supply ran out after 18 hours, not 24 as estimated.” — Why: We had never actually measured generator fuel consumption under real load. — Fix: Run a timed fuel consumption test in the next 30 days and update our fuel stock accordingly. Assigned to: [Member]. Due: [Date].

+ ADD IMPROVE ITEM
06  ·  Safety — Were There Any Hazards or Injuries?

Every AAR must address safety — even if everything was fine. This is not optional. Note what happened, what almost happened, or confirm that no safety issues occurred. Future planning depends on this record.

Examples: “No injuries or safety issues during this event.” — or — “Near-miss: Child nearly touched the generator exhaust. No barrier in place. Needs a physical guard before next use.”

Even "No safety issues. All members accounted for throughout the event." is a complete and valid entry.
07  ·  Closing Summary — TC 25-20 Ch. 4

TC 25-20: "The AAR leader reviews and summarizes key points identified during the discussion. He should end the AAR on a positive note, linking conclusions to future training." Capture the 2–3 most important takeaways and what specific preparation tasks they link to next.

Be specific. Vague closing summaries produce vague future preparation. Name the task, not the theme.
TC 25-20 Ch. 5: AARs are the link between task performance and future training. Name the next training event this feeds into.
T-P-U Assessment — TC 25-20 Ch. 5 (Trained / Practiced / Untrained)
TC 25-20 requires a Trained-Practiced-Untrained assessment immediately after every AAR. For each preparedness area this event tested, record whether your group performed to standard (T), needs more practice (P), or lacks the skill entirely (U).
+ ADD T-P-U ITEM
MODULE 03  ·  DEBRIEF
Corrective Action Tracker
All open action items from AARs — assigned, dated, and tracked to closure.
MODULE 04  ·  DEBRIEF
Module Update Log
WATCHMAN modules flagged for update based on AAR findings — the connective tissue between debrief and action.
MODULE 05  ·  DEBRIEF
Trend Analysis
Recurring issues across events — systemic problems require systemic solutions.
OUTPUTS  ·  DEBRIEF
Generate Documents
Print-ready RTF outputs for field use, binders, and leadership briefings.
OUTPUT 1
AAR Summary Report

Full formatted AAR report: event header, situation assessment, sustain and improve items, corrective actions, and notes.

OUTPUT 2
Open Actions Report

All outstanding corrective actions (Open and In Progress) across all AARs, sorted by target date. For leadership review and accountability.

OUTPUT 3
Module Update List

All AOW modules flagged for update (Pending and In Progress), with required changes and responsible parties. Keep the suite synchronized with reality.

OUTPUT 4
Trend Analysis Report

Summary statistics plus all active trend entries with frequencies, categories, and recommended systemic fixes. For strategic readiness planning.

Data Management
Key: ao_debrief_v1  ·  Export before clearing.