You mean perhaps the Marines of 50 years ago?
Affirmative
Has it been 50 years since we had a better military? A realistic look would tell us, Yes. The military was destroyed in the Vietnam war era. That is what weak usage of power brings. You lose respect from the enlisted men, discouraged career Sgts, and Officers whose only reason to exist is for the retirement and maybe some Brass.
My dads military was all about doing The Job, so they could go home and resume life. They came home proud, and taught us the same pride and duty.
From that mindset to, my multiple cousins and my brothers telling me, “we will tie you up and put you in the trunk of the car, before you enlist”. “If they draft you, you go. DO NOT volunteer”.
I would say Vietnam destroyed the countries soul. It took 50 years to see what a soul-less nation looks like.