What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

So many great responses!!!

"Old School" military was when my farther-in-law and my dad were in the service, before the Army started going soft in Basic. Now they got stress cards.

"Ols school" is in the eyes of the beholder. For me the 90s are school, for some tha came after me the 2000...... And sometimes we just use the word to describe something were told that is old. My two cents

"Old School " starts at discharge. Anything after was not the way "it's supposed to be" and definitely is not the way it is intended to be.

Being an NCO before 2003

Good question.. After being out a few years I don't know what the "new" stuff is except what I occasionally see at the closest base to me (Rock Island Arsenal (Army base).
Old school for the Navy would consist of knowing what "holy stoning" was. Knowing how to do it was real old Navy. Non-buff waxing of the decks is/was fairly new, having to buff out the real wax was old. Having inverted creases in your uniforms was old school, knowing why you have inverted creases was real old Navy. Wearing a Dixie cup goes with the uniform, having it curled and wearing it forward and right is a Salt.

I was looking for a post from a Coastie on this question, but if there has been one I missed it. I think that Coasties at least us old guys, think in terms of the “old Guard” as opposed to the “new Guard.”

I believe that us old timers think that the shift began around 1972, when the traditional CG uniform for enlisted personnel was changed to something resembling an Air Force uniform.

In my opinion someone who is old Guard remembers:

• Learning morse code
• rowing lifeboats in the ocean as part of recruit training
• 13 weeks of boot camp
• Black and white boot camp photos
• the OBA
• ABC Defense Drills
• Spars
• 40 footers
• Life aboard Cutters built in the 1930s and 40s
• Loran stations
• Lighthouse and Lightship duty
• Weather ships
• Antarctic service
• Sextants

If there are any other Coasties on this question, please weigh in.

Being licensed to drive a U.S. Military M274 Truck, Platform, Utility 1/2 Ton, 4X4, with an international drivers license while stationed in Italy.

There is some of the "old school" I agree with, and there is some of the "new school" I agree with. If someone could find some sort of common ground for the two, that would be awesome. But the one thing I would bring back would be the Olive Drabs, and the green class A's.

Another item which I haven't seen anybody mention yet: s**t-burning detail.

How many of you got tagged for field sanitation duty, using diesel and mogas to reduce the solid waste, and having to stir the mix regularly to ensure proper burning?