What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

If you rode on a horse instead of a tank in the Calvary

I think it tends to vary from branch to branch but as a whole I think it generally means before the military had to go all politically correct. I personally feel as though I was one of the lucky last few to be in the old school bunch when I got issued BDU's in basic and had to shine my boots and shoes. And when paperwork wasn't the first thing that you got when you screwed up.

It comes just before the person you are talking with went active so they can't refute it.

If you have to ask you are not. Joined before 1990

Having been retired for 32 years, there are some, I am sure, who would classify me as "old school". However, SSG Bodley, as you commented, the line appears to be moving constantly. The services have significantly eased up on their personnel who used to live in 50 year old (or older) wooden firetraps (I mean barracks) of the open bay & everyone crowded in style to semi-private accommodations. Instead of kick-a$$ brutality in many/most cases, personnel are treated considerably more easily. There (might still be) some discipline in the ranks, but believe me, in most cases, each generation has it easier than the ones preceding it.

Anytime before ACUs

As mentioned by numerous people on this list, the term "Old School" is relative to the person/group using the term. I had been told many times during my times during my time in the service, by the "Old Timers", that things were done differently in the old days and that they should still be done the "Old School" way.

There have been many things I have seen happen since I was forced to medically retire after 22 years in 1993. Many times I have thought: "these idiots really need to go back to the "Old School" way of doing things". Each time, I had to counsel myself that times have changed and, perhaps, the requirements have changed as well.

The levels of training have drastically changed since I went to Polaris Electronics "A" School in 1972. The personnel coming in really aren't any less intelligent than we were - they just are not as well trained as we were in all of the areas we were. We lived by the mantra: "We train like we fight so we will fight like we train." Those were tense times - Vietnam was still going hot and heavy; the Cold War was at it's height; we had operations like Panama, Grenada, and Lebanon going on, not to mention the small skirmishes in the Baltics with Croatia that we became involved in through NATO. Things slowed down, and the military pared down and changed from a war machine to a peace-keeping force. A very different focus and level of training and funding.

9/11 put a different focus on the military and the mission. Very few remained with any experience to plan/direct a successful war fighting effort. Additionally, the American public insisted that they know everything that occurred in the conflict. This led to embedded reporters. This is now the "Old School" way of doing things, from one perspective.

Personally, I could care less if things are done the "Old School" way, the new way, or how they are done. My concern is that there is very little being done other than posturing for popularity points. Too many items are being released for general knowledge that don't need to be. Way too much emphasis is be placed on high tech systems that require extremely stable environments to operate properly. To me, "Old School" means simpler and more reliable.

Old School:

DI's could pound your ass in the PIT and call it "Corrective Training"
Jeeps before Hummers
Spit shines
Starched to the hilt
Brasso Everything
15lb Radios
Cadences banned...NOT!
Wood line was a Sgt's best friend for "Corrective Training"
Barracks floors had "Mirror" shine or no R&R
Beer in the pop machine
Camo ALL exposed skin, not your nose & cheeks....
Full Auto M16's
M1 Garands
Stick shift know how or you never got to become a Driver
.45's not M9's until last year in

List goes on, many I've probably covered again, and some that haven't been.

Enjoy!

Worn HBTs fatigues w/ a 'gas flap' behind the steel buttons of the blouse and a 5 point cap. Worn boots w/ 2 buckles.

Boot camp at San Diego NTC, Lived in WWII era barracks, attended 'A' school on Treasure Island, used asbestos blanket to cover yourself while welding, served on a ship with wooden decks, wore dungarees, boondockers and work cap, polished brass and copper with brasso, saw the coin dancer and ate monkey meat in Olongapo, sailed into Pearl Harbor and still felt anger toward the 'Japs', handed a 1911 45 for duty watch, and never had women on ships, unless they were visiting.