What are the USMC regulations addressing service stripes?

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 16:27:08 -0500

I am a Marine Corps Viet Nam veteran and a purple heart recipient. During the Viet Nam era the Marine Corps had a 2yr active duty and a 4yr reserve enlistment. Does this qualify me for a service stripe ?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2020 4:37 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 16:37:48 -0500

No. Your service stripes are based off all of your time, Active, Guard and/or Reserves. as long as you were either on active duty or on drill status. Your four years on IRR do not count.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 30 at 2020 8:44 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 20:44:21 -0500

MCO 1020.34H

4008. SERVICE STRIPES (See figures 4-6, 4-7, and 4-8)
1. All enlisted personnel will wear one service stripe for any four-year period of honorable service, creditable for retirement (under 10 U.S.C. 1332), in any, or a combination of the following services:
a. U.S. Marine Corps
b. U.S. Navy
c. U.S. Army
d. U.S. Air Force
e. U.S. Coast Guard
f. Any Reserve component of the Armed Forces or the National Guard (other than on the retired list).
g. Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service or Coast and Geodetic Survey (only under certain circumstances).
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.

Response by Cpl Bruce Hoffman made Feb 7 at 2020 11:02 AM

Cpl Bruce Hoffman — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 11:02:54 -0500

Four continuous active duty enlistment equals one service strip. I did six years w/ one service stripe.