MovieChat Forums > Crimson Tide (1995) Discussion > Great depiction of old navy vs new navy

Great depiction of old navy vs new navy

posted 12 years ago by uscmd
1 reply | jump to latest

I was in the military, active duty ~1970, and even then it was obvious who was who. The older folks that started during the very end of WWII or Korea, and the newer breed, college grads, or military academy. The former were often gruff, highly job focused, while the latter, both brighter and more educated, tended to be more empathetic, and split between the needs of the men and the job.

The older group, tended to achieve their status by not worrying about the needs of their jr officers. The ones in that generation that did, were passed over and left the service. It was fascinating to watch the 2 groups interact. Then 20-25 yrs later to see that dynamic depicted in a movie, brought back many of those memories. So if you are wondering if these types of battles really happened.....the answer is yes, they did. I can't say if they still do, but if I had to guess, I'd guess yes.

[–] StarWarsIsMyLife 12 years ago

Interesting anecdote. It would be even more fascinating to hear some stories about specific instances where "Old Navy" and "New Navy" clashed. Clashes that were undoubtedly going on in the other four armed services as well.

I think in any institution, two types of folks tend to have long and prosperous careers - the butt-kissers and the "Old Navy"-types. The former succeeds for obvious reasons. The latter succeeds because they are very good at getting positive results.

However, I believe while the "Old Navy" gets you what you need, the "New Navy" is what keeps the institution together and sustains it over the the long term. The "Old Navy" came into being, as you said, at the end of World War II or the Korean War. This was the era of large defense budgets and free reign to do whatever is necessary to defend the U.S. During such times, it is very easy to utilize men as if they were material objects. But when the belt tightens and an institution is expected to do more with less, suddenly, the well-being of your men becomes that much more crucial. In any case, the best leaders understand that the needs of the men and the job go hand-in-hand, even if the job is priority #1.