Efficient or Effective? An Assessment of the Army Lessons Learned Program

Abstract

Abstract : The Army recently revised the Army Lessons Learned regulation to centralize the collection, analysis and dissemination of lessons learned. Historically, the Army has not sustained an effective lessons learned process. TRADOC has the lead for the Army in managing this process. TRADOC has attempted to create a more efficient process that may reduce effectiveness during combat operations in OEF and OIF. Today, the Army is facing a significant challenge to quickly capture lessons learned, analyze and redistribute them throughout the Army. Due to the complex environment in OEF/OIF and an adaptive enemy, doctrine and lessons learned are being derived at the unit level, redistributed and changed before TRADOC can adequately address and distribute them through doctrinal publications and military schools. The US Army Engineer School's Counter Explosive Hazard Center is currently integrated into the lesson learned process with regard to improvised explosive devices. The process is modified from the proposed lessons learned process. The Army lessons learned process and the Counter Explosive Hazard Center processes will be analyzed for efficiencies and effectiveness with recommendations provided to improve the current process.