I could be wrong but I get the impression that in defence these days there is more talk about OH&S, inclusion, diversity, fairness etc. but actually less common sense and compliance. I have encountered quite a few (mostly army and navy) who are stupidly gung ho and do stuff that would have had them torn a new one in the 90s.
There almost seems to be a level of pride in being able to circumvent policy in regards to looking after people, i.e. completely screwing over someone, applying a horrendous level of covert harassment , setting them up to fail, then calmly saying "Are you ok" or if they have done a really good job on them "are you thinking of killing yourself". Current serving and ex junior officers and NCOs often seem to be the worst, lacking the maturity, experience, compassion and common sense that older more senior individuals (and ironically some of the much younger newer people) have.
In the early 90s we still had some Vietnam vets training us, one was even a former RSM of the SASR, there were also regular cadre staff, most from 3 RAR but also some other battalions. They were across heat exhaustion and heat stroke, as well as hypothermia, they watched and looked after their troops, and made sure they watched and looked after each other. These days from what I've seen is its more vicious and selfish, more back stabbing, and favouritism. They don't look after each other and sadly too many junior officers and junior leaders are willing and ready to throw their troops under the bus.
These days they say but don't do the right things, where as previously, more often than not, they did the right things without making a big deal about it. Not saying the old days were perfect but that I'd rather work with or for, as well as trust, someone old school than many of the new generation of so called leaders.
