The "stripes" referred to above are known as "Good Conduct Badges " (not stripes !) and are awarded,every 4 years, from age 18, NOT 16 ! They tended,therefore,to give one's age away somewhat ie,after I was awarded my second one,everbody knew that I was over 26 ! Eventually, one becomes " Three Badges Gold, Too Fucking Old " !! Of course,Chief Petty Officers don't wear them,which is a bit of an incentive to "get on" , I suppose. Each Good Conduct Badge was reputed to be worth 5 days in cells ie if you were really naughty and were awarded ( punishments in the Royal Navy are always "Awarded" !!) up to 5 days in a cell, you could forfeit a GCB instead. Naturally, (and thankfully) I never had to put the theory to the test !
             Roger "Bomber" Mills ( VG-SAT all the way !)