Enlisted personnel in United States Marine Corps are authorized to wear a service stripe for each four-year period of honorable service in any (or a combination) of the seven uniformed services of the United States, as well as for personnel serving in the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the U.S. (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard). The four-year period does not have to be continuous, but qualifying Reservists earn credit only for full years (each one-year period for which 50 retirement points are accumulated).
Issued in male and female sizes, service stripes are worn on the outer half of the sleeves of the Blue Dress coat and Green Service coat. Use the selection box to the right to choose the size and type of insignia you need—gold on red is for the
Blue Dress coat and green on red is for the
Men's and
Women's Service coat.
Service stripes are placed at 30-degree angles to the bottom of the coat sleeve. The first stripe on a Blue Dress coat is positioned so that its lower scarlet point meets the piping on the cuff, while the first stripe on a Green coat is placed so its lower scarlet edge is centered a half-inch over the point of the cuff stitching. Second and subsequent stripes are spaced 1/8-inch above and parallel to the next lower stripe.