I have to disagree with Engel's comment regarding "Jody" not being around during Viet Nam. I was in the Army during Viet nam and my girl waited till I got home to drop the bomb! Jody's been around since war's have been fought. These guys prey upon lonely women, they know exactly what they're doing.Took years to get over that so I know exactly how these troops feel. Tell Laurel this has nothing to do with faith in their spouses/girls/etc. but everything to do with opportunists!

Jody is widely known in the military and he's not specific to any certain branch. Army, Air Force, Navy or Marines. He lurks in the bars and resturants, just about anywhere. Your wife/or husband who stays at home with the kids while your deployed finally goes out with friend for a couple of hours and has a couple to many drinks, Jody strikes when they are vulerable and starts to tell her/him what she has not heard for to long face to face. Its not right, never has been and never will be. But neither is infidelity and if they go out with friends, the friends should watch out for each other. And Jody has no sex either can be man or woman.....but what is known is Jody has no morals.

I'm very familiar with Jody...it does happen on both sides though...true in Iraq, there are ALMOST no opportunities for the servicemember to play on his own, but I've seen it on other circumstances too. But it was happening in Vietnam, Korea, WW II, and long before that - it's not an Iraq specific thing. In the Air Force there's a saying, "What goes TDY stays TDY." It's a way of saying, if you hook up while away from home...don't take it back home. My point...we're all flesh and blood people with the same insecurities and desires and temptations, and that it works both ways...

My brother was in the Marines, luckily he didn't have a serious girl when he was stationed in Japan for a year. However when we watched Jarhead together he told me that the aspect of "Jody" as they showed it in the movie was pretty accurate. I think this is sad, as sad as some of the soldiers he knew in Japan cheating on their girls with japanese gals.

When I was in the Navy in the early '60s it was common to see guys disappear from the barracks about a month after a squadron deployed aboard a carrier ... sometimes sooner.

Then shortly before the squadron was due home these " jodies " would begin appearing back in the barracks.

Nothing new ... I'm sure it happened to the Roman armies.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder ... but it soon begins to wander.

I thought Jody was anything that could screw up your life. My son fellow Marines were warned at graduation to stay away from Jody during leave time. I worked in Junction City, Ks. during the first gulf war- next door to Ft.Riley and I saw how the women blew money on junk. And I heard stories from coworkers how wives in their apt. building how guys visiting while their husbands were deployed. But I have also seen this happen in the civilian world.

I have an answer for Jody. It's called BOB. Every service man that is married or has a girlfriend should buy her BOB before he leaves. It is sad that many of these women are not being faithful. Just remember your vows people. Til death do us part. Not til I get shipped out next. I just wanted to say to all of our soldiers that I as an American am very proud of all of you. I have no concept of what it is you are all going through but I am very proud to be an American and my pride is a result of all of our soldiers. My dad was in Vietnam and it was sad to hear him ridiculed when he got home. He was doing his job. It was not his decision to go fight a war and neither is it these soldiers decision. They are doing their jobs and doing it to the best of their abilities. So hold your heads up and be proud of what you are. All of you are in my families prayers and thoughts.

Retired Army myself. As a young soldier in Germany I exclusively hung out downtown so I ran into few wives out without their husbands. It was kind of an eye opener one time when I visited a friend in another community later in my career and we decided to play some slots at the NCO club. I mentioned that the club would be dead since the brigade was in the field. He laughed and said that it would be more crowded than normal. When we got there the wifes were lined up down to the curb and there were a few Jody's in line to take advantage. We hit the slots and when we left there were already some couples leaving that had arived as singles. So yes, Jody and willing wives do exist.

However, is it really more common there than here on the outside? Maybe a little but not much. My place of employment is notorious for how many couples met here and disposed of their old spouse to marry a coworker. In my 80 person secton there are 7 couples.

If it is more common in the military it is only because they have more opportunity and not because they are inherently any less faithful....

I'm a Navy Brat-and remember how the wives on Base would gather to support one another-and stay active. It was a way to stay True to your Husband/Wife while they were away (there were afew men who had Nurses for wives). America"s lacking morals and injured Family Values can be countered with support from home.; recent calls, emails, letters-even webcasts these days! If anyone would like ideas in setting up Spousal Support Groups(or "Please contact my wife/husband/kids" Special Occassion Group-crafinna@hotmail.com is one way to contact me. His Family Helps is a faith-based Colorado non-profit willing to help our Service men and women be more at ease, one Family at a time :) !

Being a former Division Officer and Department Head, I can tell you that there is no doubt that Jody exists. And yes, your wives are fequenting his bedroom (as he is frequenting what used to be your bedroom). We only find out about the ones that end badly- the ones that get caught; the ones that write the Dear John letter; or the unfortunate ones that either have gotten pregnant by their Jody or are running off with him. Yes, it happens, and no, the soldiers and sailors aren't paranoid to think about it. In the end, it all comes down to trust. You either have it, or you don't. Unfortnately, I have seen too many cases where our soldiers and sailors have trusted, only to find out Jody was all too real.

draft all jodys

Out of my two year relationship we spent maybe 6 months together, the rest he was deployed. I never waivered in my thoughts or faithfulness to him. There are many woman out there that have a "Jody." With or with out that seperation, those women would have cheated anyway. I just want to remind everyone, the door swings boths ways. My Ex was always telling me of men who were cheating on their girlfriends and wives over in Iraq while he was there. I do not chalk it up to just being "human nature." It goes to the morality and character of that person and their respect for their loved one and relationship. Shame on them all.

Give me a break! This has been going on since the beginning of time. The service members have the "50 mile rule" and other brilliant sayings. Women don't cheat more now than they cheated in previous wars. My husband is a Marine and I pray that he's never cheated, but I have plenty of confirmation that his friends have, even when they were only away on training exercises. Maybe we could try being more supportive of the military spouses in our communities while the troops are deployed and we can at least change the behavior on this side of the ocean.

I am not surprised that Richard Engel doesn't know Jody. There is little understanding of the sacrifices of those in uniform, let alone those in harm's way daily. But the idea of Jody is as old as war itself, particularly in the West. Kipling wrote about it ("And if she should stray..."), as have many others. The World War II barracks ballad "Lili Marlene" was popular with all sides because of the universal theme of losing your girl, and your life. Generally, however, there is a lack of understanding of the incredible sacrifices of our service men and women; partially because of six decades of relative peace, and partially because of the marginalizing and denigration of the the concept of service in defense of freedom. Jody is only new to a generation that cannot conceive of having to fight for our way of life.

I would just like to go on record as a military wife of over thirteen years and say that for every one of the wives you are discussing, there is a military wife at home loving, proud and waiting for her husband to return- who would never dream of doing such a thing.

Fret not Soldiers and Devil Dogs, many of us "been-there-done-that" prior-service folks know about Jody, many have lost to Jody; know that if it occurs she is not worth it. Nevertheless you will be welcomed home as heroes and we are looking out for you. Keep up the great work, even though our media seldom reports the progress!

I know it is really easy to just blame the spouse, but servicemembers are known to cheat just as much their spouses. It is two way street and they both play the game. I'm the wife of a marine and have heard of many servicemembers who cheat while they are deployed and while they are home. Please remember it is not just the spouses who are left behind that cheat. It is just easier to attack the spouse and forget that the deployed have the same issues.

I met Jody during the first gulf war,yep he is there,waiting to prey on a soldiers deploment,costed me my marriage.And numerous others in my unit.

Jody is real, and unfortunately all too common. I spent the last four years as a military spouse, and watched as many of my friends, lonely and depressed, sought physical comfort in another man while their husbands were away on duty. It is hard to love a man, to stay faithful to him, to raise his children, but to have him gone for often more than a year, never knowing when he can call you, never even knowing if he is still alive and unwounded. I don't believe what the wives do is right, but what the military (in my case, the Army) does to families is even worse.

It's stories like this that almost make me ashamed to admit that I'm a military wife. I have stood by my husband for the almost 7 months since he was deployed, spending lonely nights worrying and dinners alone wishing he were here with me. I've done whatever I could to keep busy so HE would never have to wonder who has been in his bed in his absence. And all the while, I've witnessed other wives, some who I was once close with, cheating and carrying on affairs as if their marriage never happened, while their husbands have been gone.

While I have a deep sense of pride of what my husband is doing, and am proud to stand behind him through it all, it makes it hard to tell people that I am among the ranks of women whose lonliness and selfishness has gotten the best of them when I have gone to such great lengths to stay faithful to the man I love.

Oversexualized society, virtually every television show sending the 'it's ok to be unfaithful' message lends to feed this ugly cycle. My heart goes out to those courageous men and women who risk everything to obey the call to duty. Especially in light of this particular debacle.

p.s.
The term 'Jody' came into common usage from the old Johnny Taylor song (Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone)way back in 1970.

As a former spouse of a member of the US Navy, I do agree that there is a lot of cheating going on while the men are deployed. Go into any military town when a ship has pulled out of port and see it for yourself. I had friends who stopped being friends because they wanted to use me as a babysitter while they participated in their secret rendez-vous. I have also been the dedicated military spouse who is left behind with the children, stress, bills, and messed up pay for weeks on end while my military husband was sleeping with a different woman at every port. (Granted, he spent most of his time with the Marines in the field because he was Navy medical personnel, but he managed to find a way to cheat during Desert Storm, too.) Regardless of all of this, we have to be careful not to stereotype the spouse left behind or the member himself, assuming it's just the way things are. A strong marriage can withstand anything, even lengthy separations, and a marriage that does not withstand anything probably isn't meant to be at all. I know I got tired of the paranoia from my ex, especially since he was the one unfaithful. (Hence: EX) Wives and husbands alike should be supportive of one another. Just a short message to those overseas who worry about cheating spouses: don't. If she's cheating you are better off finding out and ending it anyway.

That's a good one Kyle. Now there will be people asking who's BOB. Well, he's related to D. Cecell. Ya can't have one with out the other.

Familiar with Jody; I lived it. First during the Gulf War and then during Bosnia. Two different wives and 4 children later, and a whole bunch of child support. One thing that will help you is keeping yourself busy and don't lower yourself to their standards. Don't turn towards the bottle that will just make you drown in your own sorrows and think about the what if's. Today I'm remarried for the third and last time. I retired from the military and currently have custody of my youngest two children and in the last stages of this custody battle. It pays to keep your cool and get a good lawyer and document all facts. Sometimes as a servicemember your not always protected by the sailor and soldier act. Every state is different. Enjoy life you only live once.

After 10 years as a military spouse I saw it go both ways. I never cheated. It just wasn't in my moral make-up. But my husband did it every time he was sent somewhere. Not only are there plenty of w***** waiting around the bars and such to get a piece of the service members, there are also active duty w*****. I couldn't fathom our boys in Iraq having to worry about these things. It's horrible. But anyone who thinks there aren't guys there hooking up with the active duty w***** while the wife is home to deal with everything on her own is just kidding themselves. As with anything "Jody" goes both ways!!