Rapid Afghanistan Experience Project: Contemporary Lessons Learned
What is it?
In full collaboration with other Army operational readiness stakeholders, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) leads the Rapid Afghanistan Experience Project (RAEP) consolidating the knowledge, skills, lessons learned, and the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) currently employed in the Afghanistan area of responsibility to rapidly improve continental U.S. (CONUS)-based pre-deployment training and better prepare Soldiers for combat in the Afghanistan theater.
What has the Army done?
The RCE conducted a roundtable in September with senior leaders from TRADOC, the Combat Training Centers (CTCs), the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), U.S. Central Command, operational forces, U.S. Forces, Afghanistan, and former Brigade Combat Team and Battalion Commanders and Command Sergeants Major to collect initial feedback from both the training and institutional communities. FORSCOM created the Rapid Afghanistan Experience Project, and continues to mature and refine the processes associated with collecting and disseminating Afghanistan-centric information across the force. This collaboration includes a classified website for tools, TTPs, links to other websites and portals, lessons learned and timely topics of interest. Access to the portal is open to the entire force on both NIPRNET and SIPRNET. The project already enabled two immediate improvements:
• An Afghanistan-focused professional reading list• A link to the Joint Training Counter-IED Operations Integration Center (JTCOIC), an invaluable storehouse of information operated by TRADOC
What does the Army have planned for the future?
Open discussion of lessons learned while training for and conducting operations in Afghanistan will provide areas for potential improvement. For example, a change to Pre-Deployment Site Survey rules authorizing multiple visits to Afghanistan would greater time for units to build understanding of the specific region in which they will operate. As more content is collected and shared across the force, the Rapid Experience website will link with similar collaborative sources-- such as The Center for Army Lessons Learned and the Warfighter's Forums (WfF). The combined results will drive continuous improvements in the way pre-deployment training is conducted at home station and the Combat Training Centers to provide a more regionally focused training experience.
Why is this important to the Army?
The Army is a continuous-learning organization improving itself through experience and training. Sharing our collective information, training, and experience is the key and the RAEP will be a premier way to accomplish this goal for our Soldiers and leaders.
Resources:
The Rapid Afghanistan Experience Project Portal on NIPRNET(CAC required)
The Rapid Afghanistan Experience Project Portal on the FORSCOM Homepage (SIPRNET)