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1st Brigade Combat Team integrates new system

February 2, 2015
By 1st Lt. Jonathon Hecker

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Feb. 2, 2015) -- The dawn of a revolution in the way logistics and supplies are managed in the Army will begin with the 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT), 82nd Airborne Division.

1BCT will be the first to integrate the Global Combat Support System-Army, also known as GCSS-A, into daily operations.

GCSS-A is a web-based financial and logistical management system based off of what commercial industries use. GCSS-A will replace and consolidate the systems the Army currently uses to track materials, maintenance, and paperwork.

'We will be pulling equipment from a list that has already been updated and controlled by the supply side of the house and theirs is the gold standard', said Chief Warrant Officer 2 James Rieger, Maintenance Control Technician, Bravo Company, 307th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), 1BCT, 82nd ABN DIV. '[Users] will have access to that gold standard once GCSS-A is integrated,'

The logisticians of 1BCT have been hard at work preparing and training potential users. Different levels and functions have been affected by the upcoming change.

Users have trained on the system through the GCSS-A web portal and have provided feedback regarding GCSS-A through reviews of the online training. Staff Sgt. James Black, Supply Support Activity non-commissioned officer in charge for Alpha Company, 307th BSB, is eager for the integration to be complete.

'Once GCSS-A is fully incorporated, the parts-ordering process will be streamlined for both us and our customers. Our customers will be able to look up the status and location of their parts or materials by using the online system instead of needing to call us to look it up,' said Black.

While users get familiar with the system during its initial stages, a pause in the work flow is expected.

'If users take short cuts instead of taking the time to learn the new system, then the time it will take to integrate the system will take longer than expected,' said Rieger. 'Additionally, units using equipment like the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite system will experience problems with connectivity, especially while in a field environment.'

More than 300 units are set to integrate GCSS-A by the end of 2015. The rest of the Army will follow by the end of the fiscal year 2017. Rieger said the system will affect the day to day operations of every supply room, motor pool, supply support activity, property book office, department of logistics, and property manager in the Army.

'Once the users figure it out, their productivity will significantly improve.'