marine corps uniform regulations - US

4009
4-32
MARINE CORPS UNIFORM REGULATIONS
2. Entitlement to service stripes starts with the Armed Forces Active Duty
Base Date and is computed by adding all periods of qualifying service,
continuous or otherwise. Qualifying service for reservists are earned only
for full years - 1 year of creditable service for each one-year period when a
minimum of 50 retirement points are accumulated.
3. Regulations for Wear
a. Service stripes will be worn on the outer half of each sleeve of
dress/service coats; gold on scarlet on the blue dress coat and green on
scarlet on the green coat. Service stripes finished with either a merrowed
(whip-stitched) edge or a cut edge may be worn.
b. Service stripes will be placed at a 30 degree angle to the bottom of
the sleeve. The first stripe will be placed as follows:
(1) On the blue dress coat, lower scarlet point of the stripe will
meet the point of the piping of the cuff.
(2) On the green service coat,; lower scarlet edge of the stripe
centered 1/2 inch above the point of the cuff.
(3) Succeeding stripes will be 1/8 inch above and parallel to the next
lower stripe.
c. Service stripes will be sewn on with thread that matches the
background material of the stripe using a straight machine stitch. Crossstitches,
whip-stitches or other nonstandard stitching will not be used.
d. Service stripes will not be worn on the AWC, tanker jacket or on the
SNCO evening dress uniforms.
4009. SLACKS/TROUSER STRIPES (OFFICER/NCO)
1. Male officers will wear a stripe of ornamented gold lace down the outer
seam of each leg of the evening dress trousers.
2. General officers will wear a 2-inch-wide scarlet stripe down the outer
seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks.
3. Field and company grade officers will wear a 1-1/2-inch-wide scarlet
stripe down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks.
4. SNCOs and NCOs will wear a 1-1/8-inch-wide scarlet stripe down the outer
seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks.
5. Stripes will be sewn onto trousers as directed in the Uniform Fitting and
Alterations Manual (TM-10120-15/1), which requires that the stripe finish at
or in the waist seam. However, stripes that were previously sewn so that the
top of the stripe was finished over the top of the waistband are authorized
for wear until such time as the trousers/stripes require replacement. Blue
dress stripes will be made of Marine Corps standard scarlet cloth and will be
sewn with red silk thread.