[TADSLOS]

I came in when there were still manual stenciling machines to produce training schedules.

The first copier I ever used was at a Brigade HQS. It was the size of a small house.

I remember our first IBM selectric typewriter arriving in the orderly room. Disposition Forms were the standard for correspondence, using carbon paper for copies.

Back when 1SGs still had to produce daily Company Morning Reports before the PACs were formed at Bn Level and SIDPERs was still a concept.

Back when pulling Company Pay Officer on pay day complete with loaded .45 was still a thing.

Finally had rudimentary word processors (Wangs) and databases for personnel records in the late eighties.

Started using military e-mail and PowerPoint in the mid nineties.

Saw a lot of technology change in 25 years.

[Joe 6-pack]

When I was an ROTC cadet in the late 80s, our cadre told us as new platoon leaders our most important administrative tool would be our skilcraft pens. I remember the day as platoon leader and company training officer, that our first PC showed up in the company orderly room, a 286 or 386 IIRC. It was at that time I noted a fundamental change in the officer corps. Up until that point, there was an over-arching concept called, “leadership,” and one skill under that umbrella was management. With widespread automated data processing, that became inverted and the officer corps appeared to stress management as the overarching umbrella, under which leadership became a subordinate skill. I guess leadership is harder to quantify and evaluate (unless you’re one of the ones being led.)

[BBell]

I remember we had one copy machine in CONAD and the office pogs would put their junior man as a copy machine watch, his desk was right next to it. You had to get permission from the 1stSgt (PAR) to use it.

No computers at the company level but there were some electric type writers. Times were tough on the "Old" Corps.

I don't know what they had the regimental HQ , we were not allowed to go there.