Marine Corps Battle Colors Streamers

Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., holds the official Battle Color of the Marine Corps. A duplicate is maintained in the office of the Commandant of the Marine Corps in the Pentagon. The Battle Color bears the same fifty streamers authorized for the Marine Corps as a whole. These streamers represent U.S. and foreign unit awards as well as those periods of service, expeditions, and campaigns in which the Marine Corps has participated from the American Revolution to today.

During the Marine Corps' first 150 years, Marines in the field carried a variety of flags. It was not until 18 April 1925 that Marine Corps Order Number 4 designated gold and scarlet as the official colors of the U.S. Marine Corps. These colors, however, were not reflected in the official Marine Corps flag until 18 January 1939 when a new design incorporating the new colors was approved. This design was essentially that of today's Marine Corps standard, and was the result of a two-year study concerning the design of a standard Marine Corps flag, and the units to which such a flag should be issued.

The 55 colored streamers which adorn the Battle Color represent the history and accomplishments of the Marine Corps. The newest streamers to be added to the Battle Color are the Afghanistan, Iraq, and Inherent Resolve Campaign Streamers.

Reference Branch
USMC History Division

View Streamers

Ordering Streamers

The USMC Heraldry and Streamers Procurement How to Guide provides guidance to Marine Corps Units on the offline requisition process of streamers and heraldry items. Please read instructions in entirety to mitigate delay in requisitioning process. 

STEP 1: HOW TO FILL OUT THE FORM

Each streamer requisition requires a DD-1348 form, and must include the following:

1. Full name of streamer with any devices. Note: Do not add any NSNs; LOGCOM Albany will add them.

2. Document number; each requisition must have its own document number.

3. U/I, Quantity, SuppAdd, Sig Code, Fund Code, Priority, RDD and Adv Code

4. Name of unit that will be displaying the streamer requisitioned along with:

Unit POC Name, Email, and Phone Number (COMM & DSN)

5. Access the DD-1348 form here

STEP 2: HOW TO SUBMIT FOR AUTHENTICATION

Each streamer requisition is reviewed by the Marine Corps History Division for accuracy before being forwarded to LOGCOM Albany for processing.

1. To ensure your form is received, please save your file as an Excel form (.xlsx) or PDF.  Any other format will be stripped from the email system.  If unsure of the file type, simply scan and email as PDF.

2. Email completed DD-1348 form(s) via email to the History Division at history.streamers@usmcu.edu.

3. The History Division will authenticate and approve  the Unit rates their request(s) and  forward the request  to LOGCOM Albany’s organizational mailbox SMBLOGCOMLSMCSRM@usmc.mil; Units will be copied on the forward. 

4. LOGCOM Albany will review the completed DD-1348 form(s) for accuracy and add the associated NSNs. Once verified the requisitions will be forwarded to the DLA TS MLNO for MILSTRIP submission and processing.

STEP 3: MONITOR AND TRACK REQUISITONS

1. LOGCOM Albany will notify the Unit once the MILSTRIP(s) are submitted. Using Units can monitor and or track requests by the document numbers on the submitted DD-1348.

2. Follow up inquiries can be directed to LOGCOM Albany’s organizational mailbox SMBLOGCOMLSMCSRM@usmc.mil or the DLA MLNO (MSgt Lance Robinson).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What does my unit rate?

• Check your lineage and honors certificates or streamer entitlement.  The most recent copy is available here.

• If not online, email the History Division at history.division@usmcu.edu for assistance.

2. How do I track the requisition?

• Once the requisition is forwarded to MCLB Albany, you can track it by the document numbers on your DD-1348 or send an email to SMBLOGCOMLSMCSRM@usmc.mil or the DLA MLNO POC (MSgt Lance Robinson) for further inquiries.

3. I cannot find the NSNs to fill out the DD-1348 form, where do I get them from?

• You do not need the NSNs.  Just fill in the full name of the streamer with its devices (example: three bronze stars)

4. How long does it take before the unit receives the streamers after they send their order?

• On average, once processed it currently takes anywhere from 30 – 90 days for a unit to receive their streamer order.  MCLB Albany does have a MLNO at DLA that oversees and monitors the streamer ordering process who constantly tracks each order as they come in.

5. My Unit does not have a Supply Section, how do I determine the SuppAdd, Sig Code, Fund Code, Priority, RDD and Adv Code?

•  See DLM 4000.25-1, MILSTRP Guidance; and contact DLA MLNO POC (MSgt Lance Robinson) for further inquiries.

Streamer Entitlements

Most recognize the Honors certificate issued to units in conjunction with the Lineage certificate.  It reflects the honors earned by the units during the course of their history.  The streamer entitlement is a detailed version of the honors--giving specifics on the award, service and campaign streamers for specific units.  As we update each unit's lineage and honors, their corresponding streamer entitlement will also be updated and placed online.  

Lineage and Honors

The Marine Corps’ Lineage and Honors Program was instituted in 1969 as a way to capture the administrative and operational history of eligible Marine Corps units, as well as to record the accumulated battle honors. 

Units of the operating forces that are of battalion/squadron size (or larger) that rate Type III, Class 1 Battle Standards are eligible for lineage and honors certificates.  Bases and air stations were granted eligibility in 1971.  Subordinate battalions of bases/air stations, schools and detachments are specifically excluded from eligibility. 

 We are working to make all unit lineage and honors certificates and streamer entitlements available digitally; however, at this time only those below are available.  If you do not see your unit or have questions regarding the program, please email history.division@usmcu.edu for more information.

 COMMANDS

MARINE AIR GROUND TASKS FORCES (MAGTF)

POSTS AND STATIONS

AVIATION

GROUND       

COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT UNITS

OTHER