What is the ultimate purpose of an AAR?

• A. To justify decisions
• B. To promote self discovery
• C. To assign responsibility
• D. To complete training on time

Answer: (B)

An After Action Review is a learning-focused reflection that follows a training event or activity. Its main aim is to turn experience into knowledge by guiding participants to think about what happened, why it happened, what worked well, and what could be done differently next time. The emphasis is on self-discovery—each person identifies the actions they can take to improve future performance, which helps the lessons stick and builds personal ownership of the growth.

This approach is intentionally non-punitive and collaborative, focusing on future improvement rather than defending past choices. It also strengthens the ability to apply lessons learned to new situations. That’s why it’s about learning and self-discovery rather than justifying decisions, assigning blame, or rushing to finish training.