Overseas Bars and Service Stripes (Asu / Dress)Army Overseas Service Bars - Class A (Dress Green) - Male...

The recipient of an Overseas Service Bar must have served six months in a theater of war in order to receive it.

There is an embroidered gold bar on the right sleeve of the Class A uniform and the Army Service Uniform.Each bar is cumulative and indicates another six-month period.One bar can be earned for two separate deployment totaling six months.

The concept of an Overseas Bar began in the First World War.The Overseas Chevron was a patch of gold metallic thread on olive drab backing that was worn on the lower left sleeve of the Army dress uniform.The Wound Chevron was worn on the opposite right sleeve.

A soldier's overseas service was calculated on the day they disembarked.Sailors and Marines who served in the European war zone aboard a ship for 6 months.The shipboard service wore their point upwards.They qualified for the war service if they served on the beach.After the First World War, the Navy and Marine Corps discontinued overseas service chevrons.