Posted on Jul 1, 2014
What constitutes being "old school" in the military?
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I'm hearing/reading people saying "I'm old school, therefore..." So out of curiosity's sake, where is that ever-moving line?
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 1808
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Cotton Uniforms; Cotton & Canvas LBE; M-14; .45; Leather Boots; Blocked Caps; Breaking Starch: PT in Fatigues & Boots; Pile Caps; Cold Weather gear that added 35 lbs; I could go on but I'm starting to tear up and my Agent Orange is causing me to twitch!
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LTC George Adams
I had an M-2 carbine that was made by General Motors. It came with 25-year-old ammo - about the same age as the weapon.
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MSG J G. Sandy Phillips
LTC Adams - that ammo fired when you squeezed the trigger, though. I don't remember ever seeing any ammo that was too old to shoot if the situation called for it.
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Lot's of great answers here I will just add that about every 10 years you will have a new generation of Soldiers that think they are "old school".
I had hand written counseling statements
Dot Matrix printers were the most awesome thing the PLL office had
You saw the CSM or 1SG coming and scurried away to hide
Promotion ceremonies meant you were going to bleed!
If you spent as much time in the field as some do deployed these days
Cell phones were not allowed on said field problems
Nobody had cell phones, it waited till the next day or they left a message on the answering machine.
PSG came back from the 1SGs meeting with a note tablet instead of the NCOs gathering in the office so he can read his emails.
I could go on and on, but many here are far more "old school" than I am.
I had hand written counseling statements
Dot Matrix printers were the most awesome thing the PLL office had
You saw the CSM or 1SG coming and scurried away to hide
Promotion ceremonies meant you were going to bleed!
If you spent as much time in the field as some do deployed these days
Cell phones were not allowed on said field problems
Nobody had cell phones, it waited till the next day or they left a message on the answering machine.
PSG came back from the 1SGs meeting with a note tablet instead of the NCOs gathering in the office so he can read his emails.
I could go on and on, but many here are far more "old school" than I am.
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Suspended Profile
Cell phones didn't exist yet when I was on active duty. Didn't have C-rats, but we did have 1st gen. MRE's, (nowadays, they even have vegetarian MRE's!!!...and other menu's to suit this religion, or that one). I remember when everyone was in awe of the personal computer a sgt. came back to the barracks with....and the 5 inch floppy disk was the latest and greatest memory storage device. Sega, Nintendo, and Sony were still selling their 1st generation video game consoles, and everyone used to joke around and see who could copy the Sega commercial and say the word the fastest. Nowadays, to be PC, U.S. military service members are allowed to wear beards and Turbans if their religion calls for it. I remember when everyone, (in whatever branch of the service you were in), was SUPPOSED to look THE SAME!!!!! A little concept called "uniformity". Also known as the reason the first thing that happens to you in Marine Corps boot camp, is that they shave your head so that everyone is EQUAL!!!! Everyone LOOKS THE SAME!!!!! Everyone wears the same clothes!!!! Everyone is clean shaven...in boot camp. The only color we were allowed to see, (regarding race), was GREEN!!!!!!! Now everyone's an individual. I was on active duty when the Army first introduced "stress cards" for their recruits in boot camp, and the Marines that I served with and I, LITERALLY, could NOT BELIEVE WHAT WE WERE HEARING!!!!!! We could NOT believe that this was really true!!!!!
SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D
Old school never heard of such a thing as a cell phone. It still cost a dime ($.10) to make a phone call from a "pay phone".
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SPC Paul Eiden
Old school started in 1962 in the Army. This was way before cell phones. Calls were made from pay phones and probably were made "collect". This was the days where you were in the field with a partner who had the other shelter half to make a tent. Food was "c"rations. Most was pretty edible and the deserts and cigarettes were appreciated. Respect was taught and expected. Daily fatigues were tailor and you sent laundry out to be washed and pressed. You were constantly polishing boots and shoes till they looked like a mirror. Duty assignments put you in an open floor barracks with 30 guys per floor and had open rest rooms with its share of cockroaches. But I would not change this experience for anything else.
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SPC Paul Eiden
SPC Paul Eiden - This was also the time of the M1 and the M14 came to us in 1965. The M1 was a good thumb bitter. lol
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After reading all these posts I would like to make a motion to bring back the old school way of doing things.
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SGM Willie Sanderson
SSG Mike Angelo good old D&C should not really change that is the initial form of instilling discipline to soldier. Baron Von Steubin and the Blue Book is still present. It just needs to be taken serious and taught by very disciplined NCOs.
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PO2 Joan MacNeill
SGT Dennis Shoemaker - LOVE the 1911! First day on range, although the recoil isn't huge, I wasn't used to it, and my first round had me pointing it straight up in the air, where reaction triggered off another. We all just stood around waiting to see where it would fall, and when nothing happened, got back to business.
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Buying cans of spray starch for your BDU's
Stripping floors with Ajax
If you are as proficient with a Buffer as you are your rifle
Black berets were only worn by Rangers
If you were smoked simply for being a "Cherry "
If you had a green L shaped flashlight with interchangeable lenses.
If you were issued a Field Jacket
If you qualified with the Dragon
Stripping floors with Ajax
If you are as proficient with a Buffer as you are your rifle
Black berets were only worn by Rangers
If you were smoked simply for being a "Cherry "
If you had a green L shaped flashlight with interchangeable lenses.
If you were issued a Field Jacket
If you qualified with the Dragon
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MSgt Robert Cunningham
Army October 1972 til 1980 - Air Force 1980 till December 2006
carts p38 korea wwii parca with real fur around the hood hawk missile
reserves administration instructor illustrator librarian.
I love talking about this stuff. got to share it to get it out .
carts p38 korea wwii parca with real fur around the hood hawk missile
reserves administration instructor illustrator librarian.
I love talking about this stuff. got to share it to get it out .
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SPC Vonnie Jones
When BDU came out we paid 35.00 per pair. We had to use sizing to irion them or they would glow in the dark
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To me "old school" is when a military person served in a different time era where things were done a bit differently or had different equipment. I used the old 1954 canvas pack for a long time before the newer nylon packs and racks came in to use. Those that served before my time had an M1 rather than an M14 or an M16. Those that served after me asked about C rations. Old school is seeing a BAR in action. My time was the M60, and now they have the SAW. In my time in the Corps I took the old PFT then the newer PRT (physical fitness test). Not sure what they do now. In the old school we did a lot of hiking, and I mean a lot. No so much now. Changes in uniforms. Changes in organizations..such as the old Raiders no longer exists. Through it all we are the same in the end. We are Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, or Airmen. No better. No worse. Just serving in a different time.
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1stSgt Dan Boone
But I have to come clean and say that IMHO, there were things that would still serve all branches of the military well that we did back then (some would say "got away with") that are no longer allowed.
Speaking only for the Corps and my interaction with some of the current Marines, there has been a sense of "softness" that has crept in where training and discipline are concerned.
With that said, it needs to be known that I still sleep well at night knowing that the walls are garrisoned by the best the U.S. has to offer and they all volunteered for it. THAT part is probably the most important positive change to take place... the all volunteer force.
Speaking only for the Corps and my interaction with some of the current Marines, there has been a sense of "softness" that has crept in where training and discipline are concerned.
With that said, it needs to be known that I still sleep well at night knowing that the walls are garrisoned by the best the U.S. has to offer and they all volunteered for it. THAT part is probably the most important positive change to take place... the all volunteer force.
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PO2 Joan MacNeill
SSG Michael Love - Got a kick out of the bumper sticker: "HAPPINESS IS A BELT-FED WEAPON."
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PO2 Joan MacNeill
Hanging around barracks, one guy polishing his shoes. Another said "are you going to polish the heels?" When the reply was "Nah", the questioner said "I've heard that people that don't polish their heels don't wipe their ass, either."
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SPC Vonnie Jones
CPL David Rasch like c rats better than mre...my favorite was spaghetti and winnies
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PO3 Pamala McBrayer
Still shining shoes for my husband. He gets compliments all the time and is envied by his male peers. There are hidden benefits to being married to a salty girl.
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M60 machine guns and the M16A1 with the full auto setting on the selector switch. Manual transmission 5 ton and 2 1/2 tons. The all green wet weather gear that smelled like a fat sweaty clown.
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CW3 Harvey K.
MSG John Wirts - IIRC the BAR (in its original form) was "selective fire". It was deployed late in WWI, and I don't think it was anything more than an experiment at the time.
Strangely enough, the version that became standard issue was full-auto only, but we were taught to develop the skill of "tickling" a single shot from the BAR. The theory we were told was behind this tactic was to have the BAR contribute to a firefight, while maintaining secrecy about that weapon's firepower, and its location, until it was really needed.
Strangely enough, the version that became standard issue was full-auto only, but we were taught to develop the skill of "tickling" a single shot from the BAR. The theory we were told was behind this tactic was to have the BAR contribute to a firefight, while maintaining secrecy about that weapon's firepower, and its location, until it was really needed.
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CW3 Sandra Rivera
Lol; wet weather gear that smelled like "fat sweaty clown". It was definitely an unpleasant smell.
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SPC Ryan Greer
I am in tears with the "All Green Wet Weather Gear that smelled like a fat sweaty clown"...this is spot on!!!!
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I was in the 7th ID from 1992-1993. We wore the Rag-doll Kevlar uniform . You want to talk about some good ole Soldiering Fort Ord, California was the place to be. I will never forgot the 25 mile road marches every quarter and 10 days of hell before you in-processed to your permanent party unit (hard-core). Long Live the Night Fighters of Panama.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth CW5 Jack CardwellCOL Mikel J. Burroughs CPL Dave HooverLTC Stephen F. SSG William Jones Lt Col Charlie Brown PO1 Tony Holland PO1 H Gene Lawrence Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen LTC (Join to see) SCPO Morris Ramsey TSgt Joe C. PVT Mark Zehner SSgt Terry P. CPL Karen Hamilton
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth CW5 Jack CardwellCOL Mikel J. Burroughs CPL Dave HooverLTC Stephen F. SSG William Jones Lt Col Charlie Brown PO1 Tony Holland PO1 H Gene Lawrence Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen LTC (Join to see) SCPO Morris Ramsey TSgt Joe C. PVT Mark Zehner SSgt Terry P. CPL Karen Hamilton
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1SG Sidney Whitt
Basic training at Ft. Ord Oct '65 and was a RSNCO for our National Guard Battalion on the last week-end it was operational. Hated to see it shut down, but have reservations for burial there!
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LTC Stephan Porter
I too had a ragtop from my time in the 25th ID ‘94-‘98!
Weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual footmarches all culminating with a 100k every four years.
Weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual footmarches all culminating with a 100k every four years.
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SGT Daniel Petitt
I took my infantry AIT there & I remember that forced field trip in full pack. If you were in the 3rd platoon or on back you were either double timing or running the entire way.
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My dad was in from the 60s through the end of 89. He was a Corporal prior to going to OCS, and he served as an Infantry PL despite being an Armored Cav Officer in Vietnam. He taught me the "Old School" values, and I took them to heart. I take the good parts of being "Old School" and try not to use the "not so good parts" on a daily basis.
Today the Army is becoming too soft and too individualistic. We need to get back to a point where the TEAM, the Unit, is the main priority, and not one person's delicate sensibilities. The world is falling apart around us. Our enemies won't care about anyone's feelings. Unit cohesiveness is the key to victory. When everyone worries about their own issues over the success of the unit or the mission, we ALL fail.
Today the Army is becoming too soft and too individualistic. We need to get back to a point where the TEAM, the Unit, is the main priority, and not one person's delicate sensibilities. The world is falling apart around us. Our enemies won't care about anyone's feelings. Unit cohesiveness is the key to victory. When everyone worries about their own issues over the success of the unit or the mission, we ALL fail.
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SGM Willie Sanderson
Great comments and according to my rookie Toot SSG son you are absolutely right.
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SPC Jerry Jones
Amen to that.
When I was in, if one person didn't pull their weight, the entire platoon suffered. It was all or nothing. If one person refused to comply and pull their weight, they had "blanket parties" to fix that. I formed the strongest bond, with guys from every walk of life, that I have ever had. We became brothers. Everyone knew that someone always had your back.
I can only imagine how it is in there now with all the whiners and soldiers wanting special treatment. When I was in, the only person getting special treatment were the Generals....everyone else pulled their weight or suffered the consequences.
When I was in, if one person didn't pull their weight, the entire platoon suffered. It was all or nothing. If one person refused to comply and pull their weight, they had "blanket parties" to fix that. I formed the strongest bond, with guys from every walk of life, that I have ever had. We became brothers. Everyone knew that someone always had your back.
I can only imagine how it is in there now with all the whiners and soldiers wanting special treatment. When I was in, the only person getting special treatment were the Generals....everyone else pulled their weight or suffered the consequences.
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