What constitutes being "old school" in the military?

I was issued an M14, Ate "C" Rats with the John Wayne, was in Plt 1018 at P.I. and stayed in the BRAND NEW Brick barracks across the parade deck from the old WWII wood mess hall. We had Elliot's Beach at P.I. Had 782 gear, had a shelter half. Got hauled around in a Cattle Car, we spit shined our boots with lighter fluid and kiwi, used Dura-Glit or Brasso on our Brass, had the Green Utilities and white T-shirts, our Utilities and cover were so starched they could stand on their own. Rode in many a Six By, and drove two kinds of Jeeps. Had NCO Clubs and Staff NCO Clubs as well as Officer Clubs on base, My first November 10th I was at A.O. School and they brought a Water Buffalo to the Marine barracks filled with beer and we all got drunk and I woke up in a dipsy dumpster. Our Helmet liners were painted silver and we wore those in training until ITR and then it was the entire steel pot. In WesPac that steel pot, was our head, cooking pot and pillow. Got a chipped tooth where the D.I. hit me for using a pronoun when I said "I" instead of the "Recruit". Beautiful sounds of the day were F4s taking off with full A.B.s or the sound of a Huey or a Cobra. We still got our Stripes pinned on and that was a very painful experience to the point you almost did NOT want to get promoted, Our rank on our Utilities was metal and had to be painted when they showed any wear, our cadence was pretty raw by today's standards, if you were lucky enough to get a date it was fine until the parents found out you were a Marine, Roach Coaches and GeDonk Trucks came by, foot lockers were wood and unless you were an E5 or above you stayed in a squad bay and only had your lockers to make cubicles. Field Days every Thursday. I was in Duty Section 4.

What hasn't changed is you stood tall and was PROUD to be called a U.S. Marine.

Yet I was NOT old Corps or Old School, the guys who had the Herring bone utilities were and they had brown leather belts on their Class A dress Greens and no Cross Rifles.

After reading the many responses of what "old School" meant to others, I have to say they are all right....I came in 1978 and we definitely did things a lot different from today. I still remember doing the APFT in duty fatigues (pickle suit) when it was a five event test...when C-Rations had Lucky Strike cigarettes...when living out of a foot locker was standard practice...but aside from all that, the thing I most remember about "old School" was that the leadership was a lot better than it is today. Back then, just three years after Vietnam, many of the NCO's and Officers who stayed in represented the post war period and they knew how to take care of Soldiers...no like today's generation...nuff said!

Starched Khakis? DO NOT in hot weather wipe the dust from your low quarters on the back of your LEG! Kiwi polish melts in hot weather!

Capt Jeff S. Honesty? You have heard the tales of demolition contractors finding wallets discarded by thieves in the heating systems of the WW II barracks as they were demolished?

If when you joined the Army,
You dated a dancer who worked at Ricks Lounge on Hay Street
Your BDU's had "Elvis collars"
There were only 2 Ranger Battalions
Your PSG was a Vietnam vet
There was only one "Selection" course in the Army
Jumped out of C-141s
You were a M60 gunner.....

Blankets, shelter halves and LBE mostly all dated 1944 and 1945 in basic training and an M-1 "thumb" for the greenhorn! Live bugler in basic training - that was me!

Doing what you were told, when you were told and no questions asked.

I'm Old School Army and proud of it.

If you have less time in service than the person talking, the day before you got in.

If you have more time in service than the person you are talking to, the day after you got in.

Ft Ord, 1953. I washed my HBT Fatigues in the mop sink. When they dried, I was an old Soldier and flaunted my time-in-service!