What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

Old School. What is the cut-off date? I would say Dec 1991. That's when as an Armor M1 tanker, we started receiving cherry's that graduated OSUT but didn't pass their final APFT. As we were told that it's the gaining unit's responsibility. I started my life in the active Army Sept 84'. I retired June 2012.

I can honestly say that I have seen a ton of changes during that time period. But none were as stupid as when Branch said I needed a "break" and sent me to Knox. Now that is an eye opener.
Smoke shacks that are wrapped in green breathable screen so active duty smokers can go in there to smoke so that the trainee wouldn't see smokers. On the tank, we couldn't drink soda, gatorade, powerade in front of them as well. Couldn't eat snacks in front of them. Because....not get this. It was "hazing" against the trainee because they couldn't have it and we were "rubbing it" in their face. Fat bodies could eat whatever they wanted at chow, main line or short order. Eat cake, have soda. And they wanted DS to sit with their trainees during chow so that they weren't so intimidating and the trainee could feel more comfortable around them and easily come to them with an issue. Before if a trainee wanted out, their life was miserable until the paperwork was finished and bye bye. Then it was they signed a statement saying they wanted out and that they weren't training any longer. So they just did and went to all the train but didn't participate.

BDE came down and said that the TC/Instructors were to be graders of the APFT which basically said they didn't trust the DS to grade them "professionally" since so many were passing. We played "stump the chump" training with S-3 on how to grade properly. first APFT we had 24 that failed. Couldn't have that. DS cried that we fuked them. After a week, those retook it graded by the DS and all of them passed and graduated. Hmmm. After that BDE wanted for the trainee to have weekend passes. Be able to drink if of age, smoke etc. Not sure of the end results of that.

Now most of us that came in before 91 are the Old Timers and are out. Now, I guess those that are still in after the 2001 time frame are the old timers that are coping with even worse BS then we ever thought of. And I never owned the Banana suit and never really saw it used. We conducted PT in our BDU's.

Wore green uniforms before BDU cam out.

Being Respectful no matter what rank you were and were talking too, not signing up just for free college only, and thinking the military was just grown up summer camp!

I can only explain “Old School” from my Air Force Point of view…
Refuse to call a Chow Hall a “DFAC” and a Motor Pool “A Vehicle Operations Command Center”

Will still call Security Forces “SP”

Vividly recalling spending half a day thinking of new and unusual ways to insult your co-workers and question their romantic preferences.

Can also recall buying endless cans of “Niagara Lemon Scented Starch” and that Service Caps were worn by AF members other than the honor guard and that we used to keep the same style uniform a lot longer than 10 years.

Still Prefer the refreshing temps of the summer weight BDU’s and DCU’s over ABU’s and whatever the hell they call the new uniform.

If the soldier owns boots older than you are....old school!

If you hear the consequences of an individual(s) and hearing that it not seem severe enough, such as receiving a DUI, losing a weapon, and countless others, you want to take them out back and give them a C.A.P.E. session that a drill instructor would be proud to have seen for starters.

Not knowing what I G means.

Being "old school" means you don't care about this new PC,BS going on now and remember when the thing that was important was if you could and would do your job.

Your training rifle was a M14. and your first M16 was made by Mattel.

I consider myself to be "old school" because I was never issued a rifle with the least bit of plastic on it. My rifles were all steel and wood, as they should be. If I couldn't shoot an enemy with it or stab him with a bayonet I could always beat him to death with it.