Service stripes

[SemperBourne]

Hi everyone. I'm sure you have all answered this question more than once but I am not able to find the answer...I understand that a marine rates a service stripe for every four years of service...now if I entered in may 9 2004 and had I left in may 9 2008 would I rate a stripe? What if I left in may 17? Meaning I actually served for 4 years and 8 days...do I rate one stripe? I ask because I am getting married and my fiancé wants me to wear my dress blues...I don't fit my old uniforms so I will have to buy new ones and have them fitted and altered with all the decorations..and if I'm gonna were this thing again I might as well make sure I look badass in it. Thanks in advance

[SemperBourne]

Ok I found an old post that a marine asked about service stripes...so I'm guessing that because I served 4 years and 8 days on active duty I rate a service stripe...please correct me if I'm wrong

[Ed Palmer]

4 or better you rate one

[SemperBourne]

I don't get it...does that mean yes I do? Or no I don't? If I have served for 4 years and 8 days

[Sgt Jim]

Yes, put the stripe on.

[CplLakota]

Yes you rate a service stripe , and BTW its Marine not marine. Have some pride brothers.

[tripledog]

I thought they were Hash marks.

[SemperBourne]

Yes you rate a service stripe , and BTW its Marine not marine. Have some pride brothers.

As I was..I should have more respect for my Beloved Corps..Ooh-Rah! thanks for un-F---ing me

[rufus1]

They were hash marks back in 1970! Maybe they changed and did not tell us about the update.

[SemperBourne]

They were hashmarks when I got out...but I saw online that hashmarks are what the army calls them and service stripes are what the Marines call them now...I saw that on a couple of websites...maybe they just started that...within the first 2 years of me being out alot has changed...they have new flack jackets..new shirt looking cammies..one of my friends that still in said they were going to change the combat boots...I'm trying to keep up with what the Marine Corps Has but it's hard when it keeps changing..but I'm not sure if they still call them hashmarks or not

[yanacek]

Service stripes is the correct term for them. I checked a number of resources I have and each one of them refers to them as service stripes--the oldest resource being the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations of 1937.

Hash marks is just a vernacular term, similar to calling ribbons, "fruit salad" or the Marine Corps emblem an "EGA."

[Zulu 36]

The official "proper" term is service stripes. The long-standing nickname was and still is "hashmarks."

The Corps has been changing a lot of stuff as combat feed-back indicates changes are in order.

[rufus1]

Well it would be SS = SUPER SPORT SS= SERVICE STRIPE sounds pretty good to me because it has a good ring and we definitely do not want any word someone else uses - we are apart and different!

[Sgt Leprechaun]

And for the un moto amongst us, in my day "Stupidity Sticks"

But 'Service Stripes' is the proper term.

[osborned]

I just passed my 4 year mark, with a little more than a year to go (had to extend to deploy), and wanted to know if the stripes count as a personal award. They haven't popped up on my MOL records as an award, and I'm currently TAD out of state so I can't bug my command about it in person. Is this just something you go out and buy when you know you rate it, or does it have to be presented?