Our service stripes for the Blue or White Mess/Evening Mess uniform jacket are available in two sizes and with two different fabric backings. The two sizes, Large and Small, correspond to the two sizes (width) of rank insignia that may be worn on the sleeves of the Mess/Evening Mess uniform jacket, and the sizes of the two must match (Large stripes are not permitted with Small insignia, for example). Similarly, the color of the stripes’ fabric backing must match the color of the uniform.
Service stripes are used to indicate the total number of years of Federal service accrued by a member of the Army, Army National Guard, or Army Reserve. One stripe is authorized for three years of honorable service (active duty or active Reserve) in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, and the service need not be continuous. Soldiers with 15 to 17 years of such service are authorized to wear this set of five service stripes.
Although service stripes are also worn on the Army Service/Dress uniform, they differ from the Mess/Evening Mess version in two regards. First, stripes are worn only on the left sleeve of the ASU or its Dress uniform variation, but are worn on both sleeves of the more Mess/Evening Mess jacket. Second, the stripes for the ASU have a predetermined length and width, while the length of the Mess/Evening Mess stripes is customized by trimming so the stripe is long enough to run from seam to seam at a 30-degree angle.