This set of five service stripes, commonly known as hashmarks, is authorized for wear by enlisted Coast Guard personnel who have accrued between twenty and twenty-three years of cumulative active or reserve service in the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or National Guard. Each stripe represents four full years of active or reserve service in any of the branches, and the service period does not need to be consecutive: a former Navy veteran with eight full of years of Naval service who then joined the Guard, for example, would be eligible for a set of five stripes upon completion of the twelfth year of Coast Guard service.
They are worn at 45-degree angles on the left sleeves of prescribed uniforms, with the lower edge of the of the bottom stripe two inches from the cuff. Per USCG uniform regulations, there is 1/4” space between each of the adjacent stripes.
Stripes are issued in scarlet and navy blue to enlisted Guardsmen (E-1 to E-6) and in gold to Chief Petty Officers (E-7) and higher; the navy blue stripes are worn by junior enlisted Guardsmen only on the Dinner Dress White Jacket. The backing material for the embroidered stripes, listed under the Fabric selection box to the right, must match the uniform on which the stripes are worn.