Which is the first point of the AAR Format?

• A. Review what was supposed to happen
• B. Review what happened for a particular event
• C. Review what went right and wrong
• D. Determine how event or task should be done next time

Answer: (A)

In an After Action Review, the first point is to review what was supposed to happen—the plan, objectives, and the expected sequence of events. Establishing this baseline lets everyone see where reality diverged from the plan, making it possible to identify gaps, assumptions, and reasons for success or failure. Only after framing the intended outcome do you reconstruct what actually occurred, then discuss what went right or wrong, and finally decide how to do things differently next time. This order keeps the discussion anchored to the original goals and drives concrete improvements for future tasks.