A service stripe, commonly called a hash mark, is a decoration

Military badges of the United States

Military badges of the United States are awards authorized by the United States armed forces that signify rating, qualification, or accomplishment in several career fields, and also serve as identification devices for personnel occupying certain assignments. Personal recognition is granted to...

 of the United States military

Military of the United States

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

 which is presented to enlisted members of the U.S. military to denote length of service. The United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 awards each stripe for three years service, while the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

, United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

, and United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

 award each stripe for four years of duty. In the U.S. the concept of a service stripe dates back to the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

 where sleeve stripes denoted a successful completion of a standard enlistment. Earlier, they had been used in Napoleon's army, with a chevron awarded for each seven years of enlistment. These stripes are also used on the sleeves of the full dress uniform worn by cadet

Cadet

A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...

s of the United States Military Academy

United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...

 at West Point, which denote the number of years a cadet has been at the academy. This is also done by cadets of other military colleges and prep schools.

Sleeve stripes are only worn by enlisted personnel. Sailors wear their stripes on the bottom cuff of the left sleeve, whereas Marines wear them at the bottom cuff of both sleeves. Soldiers wear them on the left sleeve and Overseas Service Bar

Overseas Service Bar

An Overseas Service Bar is an accoutrement of the United States Army dress uniform which is displayed as an embroidered gold bar worn horizontally on the right sleeve of the Class A uniform and the Army Service Uniform...

s on the right one. Service stripes are only worn on formal uniforms, and are not seen on the more common day-to-day working uniforms.

In contrast to the Good Conduct Medal

Good Conduct Medal

The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States military. The Navy Good Conduct Medal was first issued in 1869, followed by a Marine version in 1896. The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was issued in 1923 and the Army Good Conduct Medal in 1941. The Air Force was...

, a service stripe is presented to enlisted personnel upon completion of the specified term of service, regardless of the service member’s disciplinary history. For example, a soldier with several non-judicial punishments and courts-martial would still receive a service stripe for three years service whereas, in the same situation, the Good Conduct Medal would be denied.

The Navy also issues gold service stripes to those service members with over twelve cumulative years service free of disciplinary action in the United States Navy, United States Navy Reserve, United States Marine Corps, or the United States Marine Corps Reserve in a pay status. In cases where a disciplinary infraction has occurred, the service member is not denied a service stripe but simply is issued the standard red stripe design. The Coast Guard issues gold and red service stripes, as well, but as a distinction between junior enlisted personnel (E-1 to E-6 who wear red service stripes) and Chief Petty Officers (E-7 to E-9 who wear gold).

The United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 is the only branch of service which does not issue service stripes. The Air Force Longevity Service Award

Air Force Longevity Service Award

The Air Force Longevity Service Award is a military award of the United States Air Force which was first issued in 1957 by order of General Thomas D. White, Air Force Chief of Staff...

 is issued in lieu. Historically, persons who were in the Army Air Force and then became part of the Air Force when it was separated in 1947 could continue to wear their service stripes.

In many U.S. Law Enforcement agencies, officers and deputies wear service stripes on their long sleeved uniforms, usually on the lower left sleeve. One stripe may be worn for every three, four or five years of service and differs from agency to agency.