What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

i would say before the leadership became "WOKE" and lowered the standards of training.

FIRST ~ I Just Turned 80 ~~ YES, I DO Know "I Should've Been Dead By Now"
So I AM "Old School", And From What I've Seen And Experienced Throughout These Years,
Here's The "Difference": We Old Timers "THINK".....
~~ Yup That's The Difference.~~

Being in before some major change. Before I joined the crucible wasn't part of Marine boot camp, and my series was the first in M Co to participate in the Crucible. Then in 2001, the Marine Corps decided to test MarPat digital camouflage, as we were warned not to chew out any 7th Marine grunts testing it out as they were conducting training across 29 Palms including mainside (some idiot from NCIS tried shooting "armed Marines" and claimed it was just a negligent discharge).

Getting ALL the teletype lists of returnees, dead or alive, in 1973, and suspecting the Army just put the Missing in the wrong graves. Well, it's the Army, isn't it?

If the person you are speaking to got out before you got in...

Me, and anyone before me. I'll throw in anyone who joined in the 80's.

Spit shined your boots and low quarters, all the time, everyday or get in trouble. And pressed your uniform. A uniform that looked sharp and crisp. We looked good. I can't believe is not being done today. I believe it instilled discipline that is very much lacking.

Old school to each new generation is the experience of the veterans.. for me, entered in 79, old school was the senior vietnam veterans way of doing things... like today, we have monthly counseling, we have emotional training, dei, eo, lgbt/trans.... OLD SCHOOL was going behind the building and settling the argument as men...

Old school is the way we prepare our C' Rations... using the john wayne cookie tin as a stove.. when no heat tabs, c-4 was used..now there are mre with heaters...

Sounds like Harmony church. You know what I am talking about.

Old school military makes me remember my Drill Sergeant Brown. 50 years and I still distinctly remember him. He was very tough and a great teacher! I still remember his yelling and screaming. The best one I remember is "The army promised you 3 meals a day. They did not promise that you would time to eat them". Classic!