What are the techniques used to organize an AAR?

• A. Chronological Order of Events
• B. Warfighting Functions
• C. Key Events / Themes / Issues
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

An After Action Review is structured to reveal what happened, why it happened, and what to do next. Organizing techniques include presenting events in a chronological order to show the sequence and decision points, analyzing by warfighting functions to see how each functional area—movement and maneuver, fires, sustainment, protection, intelligence, mission command—performed and interacted, and highlighting key events, themes, and issues that focus attention on pivotal moments and recurring problems. The best choice recognizes that AARs often use all of these approaches because each method exposes different insights: a timeline clarifies flow and decisions; a function-based view reveals strengths and gaps across areas; and focusing on events, themes, and issues helps identify the most important lessons and actionable improvements. In practice, you might lay out a timeline, then examine each phase through the lens of the relevant functions, and emphasize the major themes and issues that emerged, finishing with recommended actions.