What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

If you served on a ship with wooden decks, you are old school.

First issue weapon was M1 Garand in OKARNG in 1969. Our crew served weapons were .30 air-cooled MG and 3.5" rocket launchers (bazookas). We drove M38 1/4 ton (Korean War era), 3/4 ton, and 2 1/2 ton trucks. Black spit shined Corcoran jump.boots. SFC OKARNG 1969-1979.

I had senior NCOs that were WW2 and Korea Veterans. When I joined My Dad's Post he introduced me to a member he said he was a Veteran of the Spanish American War ! Dad had to be kidding me ! I have saluted Former POW s including a Battan Death March POW. I remember Water cooled Machine guns and fired them in training, qualifying with the 1903 Springfield, That is what we carry now. What a trip down memory lane ! The picture of the grave stone is from the time of the French and Indian Wars, We were not yet a Country.

SSG Selwyn Bodley MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca CPT Jacob Swartout COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC William Smith
I went through basic at Ft. Polk with an M-14. That's crowding the "old school A.O." danger close, wouldn't you say?

If you ever had company or battalion-sized brawls on Ardennes...
If you ever jumped with an ACE harness...
If you ever participated in "Match of the Day..."
If you ever took another company's guidon and got praised from your Chain of Command...
Thunder Runs...

A good question, and you're right, it seems to be an ever-moving line. For example, soldiers that enlisted post 9/11 act like doing the mundane garrison activities such as post police call, gate guard, mowing details, working in the post gym, etc. are something new. They don't realize that's "old school"! Before the Army made a push to reduce "borrowed military manpower" by contracting those jobs, that is what soldiers did when they weren't training or in the field, NTC/JRTC, etc. Now deployments winding down and the DOD trying to save money by cutting back on contracted positions, Soldiers have to perform those tasks again.

When I went to Jump School at Ft. Benning, we ran and did pt in combat boots. I feel that could be classified as "old school".

remembering when mre's came with a cigarette. that would be old school

If you remember Ham and Lima Beans(called by a different and slightly vulgar name by most in the Marines) from C-Rations in Basic,you are definitely "Old School".

Back in the late 80's as a squad leader. I had a Joe spurt out "high stress sergeant". Of course my old school mentality did not understand this pukes cry for help. Another one of my squared away soldiers interpreted for this incident. In their basic training, if the Drill Sergeant stressed a basic trainee too much, the term taught to the basic trainees was "High Stress Drill Sergeant", and the DS would have to give them a few minutes of NO STRESS. Well now this Joe was in the real Army, Infantry unit. He got smoked (stressed) and physically disciplined for hours that day, and every opportunity I had to change this young man's attitude. I don't know if he ever stood in the Army, as I PCS'd shortly after that incident. Also I preferred a good PT smoke session vs. writing a soldier up. That was true discipline in my world. I figured why ruin a guys life by writing him bad reports. PT Smoke the crap out of him, he'll be in good shape and show love and respect for their future. As a disclaimer: I performed every exercise during every PT smoke session with every soldier, Amen.