From 25 to 29 June, 2012, PdM, GCSS-Army personnel and support contractors presented the first Advance Lead User Training session for the first units scheduled to receive GCSS-Army in November 2012. The purpose of the training is to help prepare units for transitioning to GCSS-Army. One of the challenges of modernization with GCSS-army is units and commands no longer have internal expertise to deal with matters of policy, procedures and execution as they now posses for the legacy systems. The ALUT is an attempt to give intensive early training to key personnel in transitioning units which will allow them to become early experts in the system.

The students included Soldiers, government civilians and contract personnel from a wide range of units and organizations to include the National Guard Bureau, US Army Reserve Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Army Sustainment Command, Members of the 85th Support Command, 87th Support Command, 377th Theater Support Command, 335th Signal Command (Theater) and the Fort Lee, VA, garrison supply activity and resource management office. The subjects included an overview and demonstration of GCSS-Army, warehouse operations, financial management operations, materiel management, deployment and execution as well as a review of both on-line and new equipment training (NET) materials.

All units transitioning to GCSS-army will participate in this program. At a point between 180 and 150 days prior to transition each supply support activity and affiliated resource management activity will send one member to the PdM, GCSS-Army facility in Petersburg, VA to participate in this program. These personnel will then return to their home station and help prepare their unit for transition.