Since I am now a few years removed from the sharp end I would normally refrain from commenting on procedure changes but the introduction of "reform" and "observation" into AAR can not go unchallenged. I am entirely with Beags on this. Over the 30 years I spent as an AAR pilot there was never a need to complicate procedures and calls around the Tanker, indeed just the opposite. I assume the Tanker captain [A/C?] is still the formation leader [ATP56 does not appear to state that specifically] therefore the join should always finish in his view. Once close to the Tanker, receivers are either in echelon or astern, positioned by the leader using conventional formation control wording, I have not heard the Arrows going to "observation".
The fact that nobody objected to these changes could well be due to lack of AAR experience at staff level in many of the Nato countries. Do we still have a Command Air to Air Instructor [CAARI] ?.