Army Lessons Learned Program

Provided by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command

What is it?

The Army Lessons Learned Program (ALLP) provides a process for the knowledge gained from training and operations to be captured, recorded, validated and shared so the entire force – institutional and operational – can learn and adapt. Responsibility for implementing the ALLP rests with the Center for Army Lessons Learned, which is part of the Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Mission Command Center of Excellence.

What has the Army done?

The Army has published a major update to Army Regulation 11-33, Army Lessons Learned Program, which establishes the responsibilities across the Army to maximize experiential learning, change behavior and improve readiness. The revised AR 11-33:

• Reinforces the requirements for units to develop and submit after-action reports to ensure lessons and best practices are captured and shared.

• Directs the publishing of an Army Lessons Learned Annual Plan to focus and synchronize lessons learned activities across Army.

• Establishes the Joint Lessons Learned Information System as the system of record for the lessons learned community of practice.

• Adds the process for the Army Lessons Learned Forum and explains its importance to the integration of issue resolution venues across the Army.

What continued efforts are planned for the future?

CALL provides training and advisory support to assist units and organizations with implementing the new ALLP requirements.

The fiscal year 2017 Lessons Learned Annual Plan will be published by the Department of the Army G3/5/7 by October 2016 to synchronize topics and collaborative collection opportunities across the Army.

The Army Lessons Learned Forum will continue to facilitate the identification and resolution of issues from training and operations and will continue to integrate solutions into doctrine, training, education and capability development efforts.

Why is this important to the Army?

The Army must be a versatile, learning organization and possess a wide array of capabilities across the range of military operations. A networked lessons learned program, as a part of mission command, provides leaders and units the ability to rapidly adapt and share knowledge in the current and future operating environment.

Resources:

• U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
• U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
• Mission Command Center of Excellence
• Joint Lessons Learned Information System
• Center for Army Lessons Learned

Related documents:

• Army Lessons Learned Program (Search by Pub/Form Number: “AR 11-33”)
• Center for Army Lessons Learned Services Handbook

Related article:

• Center for Army Lessons Learned provides lessons learned training to FEMA

Related STAND-TO!:

• Army Operating Concept
• Force 2025 and Beyond
• Center for Army Lessons Learned