hot wash

n. a performance review, particularly after a training exercise or combat operation. Subjects: English, Military

Editorial Note: This term appears to be migrating out of the military, where it originated.

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Citations: 1991 John M. Broder @ Washington, D.C. Los Angeles Times (Mar. 3) “In the wake of the ‘Storm’ U.S. sees glitches in war machine” p. 1: The day the fighting ended, senior Army aides presented to Army Chief of Staff Carl E. Vuono their first observations on the operation. Such an initial review of a just-concluded operation is called a “hot wash.” 1997 Philip D. Chinnery Air Commando : Inside The Air Force Special Operations Command (Jan. 15) p. 292: Before he could make his drop, his aircraft was hit with small-arms fire and he elected to call “NO DROP.” During the hot wash [after-action meetings], he explained his decision not to drop. 2000 David H. Freedman Corps Business : The 30 Management Principles of the U.S. Marines (Jan. 1) p. 187: During the hot-wash a Coyote major diplomatically asks LeSavage, Davis’s executive officer, whether he feels that the MAGTF’s actions against the enemy’s main body were completely effective. 2000 Robert L Cross Strategic Learning in a Knowledge Economy (Mar. 2) p. 196: The U.S. Army has the most experience with the After Action Review, having done them for ten years. Everyone is used to taking time quickly out of action to do a “hot wash” which happens in the action or a “cold wash” after the action is completed. 2001 Peter H. Zipfel Modeling and Simulation of Aerospace Vehicle Dynamics (Jan. 1) p. 510: After the play the training audience gets a good night’s rest while the control cell burns the midnight oil analyzing the data and composing the debrief. This hot wash is given the next day. It summarizes the events from an overall perspective and provides red and blue with the rationale behind all the important decisions. 2003 Joseph A. Barbera Jane’s Mass Casualty Handbook: Hospital (July) p. 312: A “hot wash” critique by key personnel should take place immediately following the exercise. 2004 Madanmohan Rao Knowledge Management Tools and Techniques (Sept. 23) p. 20: The consortium uses expertise yellow pages, a consulting knowledge base, and after-action reviews called “hot washes.” 2005 Peter Guinta St. Augustine Record (Florida) (June 6) “Soldiers’ lingo gives everyday language an added flair”: At Camp Shelby, troops who complete a training operation are often given a “hot wash,” or a critique of what they did and how they did it. Personalities are put aside and the objective is better performance.

Posted 9 Jun 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

My understanding is “Hot Wash” originally stems from the clean up required after a massage with happy ending. The phrase transcended nicely into describing any after-act review.

by M.U. D'Pucker 10 Nov 06, 0411 GMT

I doubt it.

by Grant Barrett 10 Nov 06, 0420 GMT

Hi there just wanted to thank-you Grant for the change, from angel. I also was wondering if you had any ideas what I could tell my knew Dr. about these so called coke-bugs. There"s deffently some kind of insect or parasite I feel them on my body, so I got some duct tape and what came off was just some fibers and some very long peices of black hair, (I have short very blonde hair, my child has very blonde long hair),I"M VERY CONFUSED< AND HAVE BEEN SICK i’ve lost 63lbs, yeh!!, but not the way I wanted to. Anyways have you heard of this before, or from anyone else, thanks, Angel.

by angel 15 Nov 06, 0752 GMT