Service stripes are authorized for wear on the Army Service/Dress and Mess/Evening Mess uniforms by Enlisted Soldiers in the Active Army, Army National Guard, and U.S. Army Reserve. A stripe is authorized for three years of honorable active Federal service (or Reserve service creditable for retirement for non-regular service) in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, so only those Army personnel with three dozen years of accrued service (not necessarily continuous) are authorized to wear a set of twelve stripes.
Our set of 12 Mess/Evening Mess service stripes comes in Large and Small sizes, 1/2” and 1/4” in width respectively, and with either a blue or white fabric backing. Service-stripe size must match the size classification of rank insignia worn on the uniform, and the fabric backing color must match the uniform color. Use the selector boxes to the right to configure your service stripes to match your style of jacket and insignia size.
Placement of the stripes is determined by uniform type. The lower end of the bottom stripe in the set is inserted into the inside front seam one-quarter-inch above the cuff braid on the Blue Mess/Evening Mess jacket and three inches above the sleeve bottom on the White Mess/Evening Mess; the upper end of the top stripe is inserted into the back seam. Stripes are oriented at a 30-degree angle and are worn both the left and right sleeves of the Mess/Evening Mess jacket (they're worn only on the right sleeve of the Army Service/Dress uniform jacket).