What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

you answered your own question! all depends on your point of reference!

I'm going to Louisville. Ky in May. I plan on checking out the changes at Ft. Knox over the past 56 years. I hope it don't ruin any of my memories.

Depends on the service, Old School in the CG was riding 44'MLBs with no exposure suits, wearing Cracker Jacks, flat hats and dixie cups, seafarers and chambray shirts. Spit shines, even on your boon dockers, brasso, fancy work, fan room counseling, arms black and blue for a week after you made rate from everyone over you "tacking on" your crow. ....These are a few of my favorite things!

I came in the early 1990s, but I'm never eager to claim to be "old school." I never jumped a T-11. I had the gray terry cloth PTs when I came in, I've been through a number of different uniform transitions, I didn't qual in basic on an M4 and when I was a machine gunner it was still the M60.

And my eyes would glaze over when the oldheads said "steel pots" and "olive drab" and "I went to basic at Fort Polk" same as the kids would if I talked about "old school."

The only thing that ever makes me feel "old school" is that privates coming in the service now are the same age as my kids. But even then, I don't want to be "old school," I just want to be "retired."

Nowadays, "Old School" IMHO is anyone who went through basic without an orange or pink card in their pocket. You know, back when we killed the enemy instead of speaking harshly to them.

US Navy old school. I did this for 22 years.

Ever done motor pool pt. Wore the grey cotton pt uniform.

If you ever wore a "Pickle Suit" with OD Jungle Boots while carrying an A-1.

Old school is more of an attitude than a time period.

I was considered "old school" by most of the younger soldiers in my unit, but not because I once wore a steel pot, old style LBE or could shine the hell out of a pair of boots with nothing but a rag, kiwi and some water.

It was because I took my job seriously, but considered most of the rules to be mere guidelines rather than something concrete. It was because I would pass up on a hot shower in order to complete the maintenance on my gear first. It was because I wanted to know about everything my unit had in its inventory rather than just the bare minimum for my job. It was because I was willing to both cuss out or praise a soldier as the situation required, sometimes in the same breath. It was because I was willing to set the example and was willing to teach them without a powerpoint presentation, but by getting my hands and theirs dirty.

That's how I was taught by the Vietnam veterans that were my drill sgts and instructors and that was how I tried to teach my soldiers up until I retired in 2007.

If that made me "old school", then I can't say that was a bad thing.

Trying to operate a tac-fax and getting the phones hung up at the same time to do it