MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Global Combat Support System, chartered to deliver integrated functionality to logistics software throughout the Marine Corps, improves Marine Corps combat effectiveness by continuing to bring cutting edge business information technology to combat support.
Global Combat Support Systems are currently in play throughout the Marine Corps, with other similar systems currently in use in every branch of the armed services.
“This is a database system that takes in all information for logistics and maintenance support,” said Staff Sgt. Alberto
Oliveras, GCSS instructor. “It streamlines the process and workflow for getting any kind of service done in the maintenance and logistics community.”
Oliveras gave an example in relation to some of the logistical support commonly used and told how the process has been
simplified.
“Say you’re a company gunny, and you’re about to have a company run and you want to solicit transportation and medical support,” said Oliveras. “Using GCSS, you can create a service request, fill in the information, put
in for your needs, then the people that provide those services see the request in a sort of universal inbox for service requests. They see it, pull it out and take action on that request.”
The GCSS also takes away many of the unnecessary and nonintegrated systems the Marine Corps used prior.
“This system is also for maintenance,” said Oliveras. “We used to use the Legacy system, which had about 50 to 60 programs that did not properly interface with each other, so it was pretty hard to get one report to match up with another. Now, with this database, all the information is centralized into one location, so any information you need can be generated into this one system.”
The GCSS class teaches Marines how to navigate GCSS and is taught in six-week education blocks by instructors in building 411 here.
“The first class was in August,” said Tim Manson, GCSS instructor. “We do a six-week training block with several units. They come in, we train them in all the material, and then the units turn off the old system and GCSS would be the only thing they could do their jobs with. So, GCSS is really important to be familiar with. Every Marine unit will use this system if they are not already.”
The introduction of GCSS into all Marine units is expected to greatly improve logistical efficiency throughout the entire Marine Corps.