Posted on Jan 30, 2019
Why do we cover GCSS in ALC instead of an individual class?
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Currently I'm in ALC, and the whole last week is dedicated to GCSS. This seems to be a huge waste of time, as the Army is paying 10 soldiers to be here when none of us have ever touched GCSS before and more than half dont plan too. Why not rip that portion out and have a dedicated GCSS class for those that are using/going to use it can attend?
Posted >1 y ago
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SFC (Join to see) I can't speak to the actual POI, but GCSS-A is replacing all STAMIS, all compos. It will be inflicted upon you at some point. It's different than previous systems. It's a SAP based ERP. SAP is the gold standard of enterprise resource programs. It is also not intuitive. As a maintainer, you'll need it eventually. If you don't, you'll be supervising someone who does. There is no escape, you will be assimilated.
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SFC (Join to see)
I have no issue with gcss itself but why subject a week long course to soldiers who've never seen it before. If were to teach a week long slideshow beatdown course on track maintenance its unlikely those involved would retain anything. Speaking with my classmates currently they're doing the same thing I am, putting just a reference of notes together to pass an open book test in the end.
As a maintainer, should I stay in, I will someday need to know more about gcss. As it is most of my classmates plan to retire as E6s and not ever touch gcss...meaning it's a waste of the armys money to pay them to sit here and waste time.
As a maintainer, should I stay in, I will someday need to know more about gcss. As it is most of my classmates plan to retire as E6s and not ever touch gcss...meaning it's a waste of the armys money to pay them to sit here and waste time.
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LTC Jason Mackay
SFC (Join to see) I suppose you have two options.
1. Go to the fetal and wait for it to be over. Like a prison beat down
Or
2. Make the best of it, learn what you can for your units sake, provide constructive feedback about what would be more useful in the course critique, and move on.
1. Go to the fetal and wait for it to be over. Like a prison beat down
Or
2. Make the best of it, learn what you can for your units sake, provide constructive feedback about what would be more useful in the course critique, and move on.
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SGM Bill Frazer
I was never Mech, either, but we covered aspects of it in ALC, the Advanced course and Battle Staff Course, cause it's part of the service, and the schools are unified.
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The focus on GCSS in ALC is to prepare the now senior maintainer to effectively manage a maintenance program because according to doctrine the PLL clerk works for the Team Chief and not the BN Maintenance Chief, but because NCOs aren’t better at managing their supported commander’s unit the Maintenance Tech took over much to the degradation of the Army’s Senior Maintenance NCO’s. Your job is to learn how to properly manage your maintenance and insist that you not them run your maintenance as they are supposed to be there for support and not to run the entire maintenance for the Battalion or Squadron.
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SFC (Join to see)
This would logically make sense except a majority of us won't become a Senior Maintenance NCOs. There are several other positions that most of us will move into...if we even earn that rank.
We have six E5s and four E6s who have never even seen gcss let alone made even a work order.
We have six E5s and four E6s who have never even seen gcss let alone made even a work order.
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SFC (Join to see)
Well the Army doesn’t train its leaders with the thought that they won’t continue to progress in their career. I know you are right in that many will only ever achieve a lower rank before leaving the Army. You train maintenance management for SSG in order to perfect your craft under the supervision of the SFC in order to be 100% prepared to take his or her position. We as maintainers should help get our Army back to what it once was before the back to back deployments and rapid promotions that stole the knowledge from the Ordnance Corps. The Army never anticipated that happening but it did and the goal of the Army is to one day get back to NCOs understanding doctrine and executing their proper roles in the Unit’s Maintenance program. We are the solution or we continue the problem. You should take the time to read ADP 4, ADRP 4, ATP 4-90 and AR 750-1 as those are your Most important sources of doctrine as a Maintenance Manager. Right and up or left and out, up to you.
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Actually there are dedicated GCSS courses. I attended a 40-hour GCSS course last August for the unit supply user role. I'm sure there are also dedicated GCSS courses for maintenance users as well.
I think the intent of including it in your ALC is to avoid NCOs being pigeonholed into specific roles. Just because you don't plan on using GCSS doesn't mean you won't ever have to use it. While you probably won't learn everything you need to know about GCSS as a maintenance user in ALC, at least you won't have the "deer in the headlights" look if someone asks you about using GCSS later on in your career.
I think the intent of including it in your ALC is to avoid NCOs being pigeonholed into specific roles. Just because you don't plan on using GCSS doesn't mean you won't ever have to use it. While you probably won't learn everything you need to know about GCSS as a maintenance user in ALC, at least you won't have the "deer in the headlights" look if someone asks you about using GCSS later on in your career.
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SFC (Join to see)
Why waste my time then making me take gtrac test on supply, and a whole day studying supply gcss stuff?
Like you said you spent a 40hr week for you...what do they expect me to remember in a day when I'll (likely) never do it again.
Like you said you spent a 40hr week for you...what do they expect me to remember in a day when I'll (likely) never do it again.
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