Old corrective training vs the New corrective training! What are your thoughts?

I do not agree with "dropping" or "smoking" a Soldier right off the bat and in fact, I don't even do that unless its the last result which resulted from a SM not listening to me because they chose not to. We are leaving in a learning environment in which we must investigate, evaluate, ask questions and determine a plan and execute that plan and evaluate again. How can we do anything if we say, "oh PVT Snuffy was late again so I will just smoke the living dog crap out of him and I expect that will fix everything". How about we ask PVT Snuffy why is he late? It might be a serious situation that awaits for him to come home to every night. As counselors, we counsel; we find out the problem and we fix it.

In the line units I have served in, we skull drug Joe if he messed up...but the punishment fit the crime. A smart remark would probably get you 50; miss first formation and the pain won't stop until COB.

Right now I am serving in a TRADOC unit, and now we are on a short leash.

The Army doesn't work like it used to and it IS getting softer, mainly because NCOs are not enforcing the standard. The "new" Army soldiers are not as resilient as those in the past (I recently had to implement a sleep plan for a "hard charging" SSG while in the field. While this was the right thing to do, I'm twice his age and he just can't keep up with the optemo...not an isolated instance and not restricted to NCOs). Excuses and questions have become the new normal.
Smarter...? Yes and No. The average Soldier is far smarter than the average Soldier 20 years ago. However, the PCCs that those NCOs were taught in the 90s they can still do automatically with their eyes closed...the "new" Amy version has to be remediated on this basic skill because they can't retain it.
Your closing statement is a disturbing perception that I see more and more...that the Army is somehow supposed to be in the business of training you to be successful in a civilian skill once you leave the military. The Army's primary task is to close with and destroy the enemy in order to protect our nation...anything you pick up along the way that assists you when you complete your term of service is a bonus, not an entitlement.

I'm into stuff that works - and frankly that is different for every Soldier.
My approach is much more custom. I like to come up with something new every time; keep the men guessing. You'd be surprised how a "potpourri" approach is very effective at deterring low-level jackassery that used to get you some push-ups or flutter kicks. NOBODY wants to be on the receiving end of these. Some of these sessions are legendary and have taken on a life of their own.
I smile every time I hear one of these tales told as the E-4 mafia polices itself with threats of a Badger 7 "invented correction".

The old stand-bys are still in my repertoire, but creativity has bought me all sorts of credibility.

The army is changing and the bottom line is leaders need to get with the program. Yes, back then being "smoked" was the desired punishment of choice but also a lot of leaders abused it and a lot of time it didn't really fixed the issue. Now, leaders have to actually engage the subordinate in a formal manner which should let the support know that their actions were wrong and how to go about and fixing it and the consequences if they don't. As far as the Army getting softer, well I can tell you it's not due to not allowed to "smoke" a subordinate but that's another can of worm which I think has to do more with discipline.

What happen to dropping a soldier by an NCO? I've seen it happen on several different occasions!

Smoking is not really effective if the Soldier is a PT stud. Just saying...

"Old School" corrective training had a few benefits too. First off you only used it for really light stuff - tardiness, sloppiness and stupidness as I said in another response here. Section and platoons used it as bonding tool, "one goes down, we all go down" and that included the PL/PSG. You dish it out and you let the troops see you can take it - bumps you up a notch or 2 on the respect-o-graph. After that, you or your PSG/1SG chat with the individual, make sure its a one time thing and send them on their way - gets a little one-on-one time and a chance to make sure your soldier is OK.

I always felt that written counseling was underrated and under utilized. The counseling statement is not just for documenting a screw-up but for documenting success, can show a soldier his progression over time and for NCO'S become a record to base their NCOERs.

I sure as hell hope not. Id rather get smoked. Atleast then it benefits me to that im getting physically stronger.