It is a sad fact of life but it is a true one unfortunately. Society as a whole has limited moral fiber these days; it is perpetrated everywhere and even glamorized. The media, televsion, movies, etc bombard us with the grim reality. Most of America doesn't have a problem with cheating and it shows a massive breakdown in our country's ethics. I feel that a huge part of the problem is the advent of the net and site after site that wilfully encourage cheating. It makes the steps to actually cheat much smaller.

It used to be that if someone was going to cheat they took a step all at once. A large line to cross. From meeting someone physicaly to hopping in the sack with them. Now it starts in an online chat room or a video game, to a firty message, to a flirty email, to a phone call, etc. Just one of the many pitfalls that our country is facing that will ultimately drag us down. I feel for the soldiers that have to leave their lives and go off to fight a stupid war. I thank them for standing up for the American way, however I feel that the American way of today is no longer the American way of the past.

Having been a woman in the military,and known very few faithful military men,I can say that the wives have as much reason to fear "Jody" as the husbands do.

Men cheat, women cheat, we have both types in the military. Military men cheat with civilian guys spouses/girlfriends too. So Jody is just no big thing. Payback can be a tough pill to swallow. I feel no pity for them, because one of those "heroes did it to my brother and he had a nervous breakdown" and the guy had the nerve to say my brother was weak. Hah.

My brother was stationed in Norfolk with the Navy on shore duty in the early 70's and he used to tell me what happened when the fleet left port. The ship was still on the horizon when many wives were hooking up with their Jody's. He became pretty disgusted with the wild sexual activity he saw from these wives. It was the wildest thing you can imagine, nothing held back. He lost faith in humankind as it happened the same each time a battlegroup pulled out.

This woman at a bar was hitting on me and I was obviously very interested. When her friend told me that her boyfriend was deployed, I couldn't continue. I gave her a quick hug and moved to the other end of the bar. I can be a "jerk" but I refuse to be a "f'ing jerk". I have nothing but respect and admiration for anyone who is willing to put their life on the line for me and my country. Can we show our appreciation to them by not hooking up with their significant others?

I agree, everyone in the military, regardless of branch, knows "Jody." It's not a pleasant thought but it does happen.

Jody's been around quite awhile,as a matter of fact he got my girl pregnant my first tour in Nam. No the calender didn't work for her,Jody ran off too.She's still around she's had rough time of it 4 kids 3 marriages 4 dads.I'm just glad I didn't marry her before I left for Nam I would have 40 bad years.

Ladies & Gentlemen, it goes both ways. #1 Men AND women are deployed these days, so don't just talk about JODY!!! #2 Those of you who speak about how those that served in the past wars had morals and were committed to their spouses, HA! Those men were in countries that had women accessible to them (korea, germany, japan, etc.), unlike today in iraq or afganistan. That's the ONLY reason they're fretting about JODY more today than ever before!!!

We are no more (OR less) committed and have morals today than we've had in the past! We're just more aware of it and accepting of it (unfortunately).

I feel for the soldiers. My father was an airman during Vietnam and my mom was extremely faithful. I was also while my husband was deployed many times over. But he was not. I paid for his college so that he could move from the enlisted ranks to the officer ranks. He went to Iraq and promptly started an affair. They are married now, he doesn't see his own children and child support is erratic. I stayed faithful to the end. I had my mother's behavior as a model and I am still very proud of my own behavior. I am currently involved with another soldier and we trust each other fully. He is in Afghanistan and I am here. I don't ever want him to feel the way I did when I found out that my loyalty was answered with infidelity. Jody knows better than to even talk to me. I don't even put myself into a situation where my morals or values would be compromised.

Hmmm...I was USAF 89-92. We used to go TDY, and some of my male counterparts used to run around with the local "women". There was a saying we had: "What goes TDY...stays TDY."

Jody is a part of military culture that's been around for some time and at least in the Army, Jody isn't really treated like the boogeyman to watch-out for. It's more comical and tongue-in-cheek. But it's also reality. Jody convinced my girl to leave me while I was in Iraq.

I think the soldiers in Iraq have reason to worry. Ironically, in this war, they are stuck in Iraq where fraternization with the local women is not really that feasible. But back in Vietnam and Korea, or deployments to the Philippines, Japan, Thailand etc., a lot of men were not so preoccupied with what was going on back home because they were having their own fling, not with Jodys but prostitutes. They sometimes knowingly brought home disease and infected their spouses and girlfriends. And let's not forget the female servicemembers serving in Iraq. Do you think their boyfriends and husbands back home are being faithful? I wish them all the best, I lost two girlfriends this way while in the navy.

HAHA! I just had to laugh at Kyle Lukens' comment! How true is that! BOB rules!

What about the soldier that decides to be a "Jody" himself? This one individual I was "involved" with decided to have 8 (YES 8!!!) girlfriends ALONG with his wife on "standby" so that when he deployed, he could have people to chat with online. Except, unfortunately, none of us knew until it was almost too late. Luckily, as with all karma, the dirtbag was found out & we promptly dumped his sorry self.

Now, before you think I'm trashing the military, I'm not. I'm a very proud AF vet & served during Desert Storm & Deny Flight. I was married ~ his infidelity drove us apart, but I have always supported our military. Bottom line, it's too easy to stray, no matter if you are the deployed individual or the one at home. People don't care about values, morals & eternal love. It's a shame because kids are growing up thinking this is acceptable behavior because they see their parents doing the same.

Mr. Engel ~ thank you for the wonderful job you do in Iraq. You show us what life is really like there. Peace to you & the troops that serve there.

M~

I would like to say that I was gone for 1.5 years from my wife and while I was in Iraq she moved her boyfriend in. I was with her for 12 years and never thought anything like this would happen to me. I also returned home broke and to my car haveing been wrecked (her boyfriend drove it almost daily). Had to find a ride from the airport as she did not meet me there. She got off work and said that she wanted a divorce, but asked that if it wasnt too much trouble could she go ahead and live at the house. She would come home from work, eat, take a shower and go spend the night at his house. After dealing with all the stuff in Iraq I thought it would be smooth sailing once I got home. Little did I know that the real battle was just begining. I suffer from depression and PTSD. I did get the house but it is very difficult. Just thought Id share my story. Jody is real and he is out there. My heart goes out to all the soldiers and pray that they will not have to go through what I did.

Some of those soliders are getting payback for the dirt they did while they had their girlfriend, wife, partner at home and now they want to complain, worry now that they are in Iraq. What goes around comes around, maby Iraq will make them better boyfriends, husbands, partners...they need something to think about other than their lower parts. Sorry but the truth is the truth, I myself love my man in Kwuait, and he says he loves me and he says it more now that he's in Kwuait, lets see if he changes his ways when he come back... I will not and have not cheated on him, I have morales...

Hey-- most of us wives left behind SUCCEED at resisting Jody's temptation. We're human and lonely too, but if he's in the military when you marry him, then your vows include keeping the home fires burning. I was only able to persevere knowing that reunions would be SWEET, especially with a clear conscience! Sometimes marriage is tougher when he retires and is underfoot all the time.

Jody is alive and well in the Navy...

When you are in the Navy and deployed there are those that say they are separated. "Geographically spearated" is a reason given to cheat. I would say 75%-85% of Navy spouses cheat.

Just go to "Norfolk Live" on base any given week a battlegroup pulls out.

It isnt the wives and/or girlfriends that we worry about its Jody. Most military men (and women) trust their spouses or significant others. Relationships are team efforts. However, that guy or gal (Jody can be a gal - by the way) is not on that team. I am currently in Iraq. When I left, I had full faith and confidence in my girlfriend. Until she gives me reason to suspect otherwise, my trust in her will continue. However, if I were to start hearing about this "guy" who spend a lot more time with my girl than is reasonable. Then that person is a Jody. Or is in the process of becoming a Jody. The reason why, she is vulnerable and he is being a predatory. That is Jody's game.

I am a former soldier; who served 14 months overseas. "Jodi" was very apparent in our unit. The number of soldiers getting divorced or becoming seperated sky rocketed in our unit upon our re-deployment to the states. There were even soldiers contemplating suicide because the stress was so high. Also while we were in Iraq there was nothing they could do about it. Some wives would even get to the point where they would be arguing so much with their spouse that they would not only tell them they were cheating, they would also taunt the soldier about it; saying things like how much better "Jody" was in bed, and how much the kids adored him-....even to go as far as to call "Jody" daddy. I know....it is sad, but very true, and it's probably a problem that has since become worse since my deployment from Jan 04-Mar 05. Although most of these problems are occuring in somewhat newer marriages (0-5yrs), how much more can the soldiers take? Just remember, it isn't just' "Jodi's" fault; as a matter of fact it is probably mostly your spouses fault.

During my Army years (68-71)we chanted about Jody at Fort Dix, then again at Fort Gordon. Twenty years from now, if the military is deployed overseas, Jody will be there. Jody is part of the institutional culture of the military and has been since at least the Korean war. When I went on R&R from Vietnam to Hawaii to meet my wife, a friend from my unit was with me. His wife showed up with her Jody and told my friend to take a hike. I got to spend 7 marvelous days with my wife, my friend was curiously vague about how he spent his time. I'm not sure he remembered most of it.

I never spent much time worrying about Jody; most of the guys in my unit figured that if it happened, it happened. As it turned out, my wife and I are still together 38 years later.

"Jody" has been around for some time...While serving in the Navy back in the early 90's, "jody" was an issue for many sailors.

Everyone in the military knows about Jody, but his actions aren't limited to war time. While stationed in Germany I was part of a scout unit that went to the field (training lasting for about a month) at different times than the rest of the soldiers in the town. As soon as those guys would leave the clubs in town would be filled with American women out partying and looking for their own Jody, and I'm sure the same thing happened when we left for the field. Guys see this and know if their wives or girlfriends do this when they're gone for a month they're probably going to do it when they leave for as many as 18.

My wife and I are both in the Army. I've been through two deployments, and she's over there now. She found her Jody in her unit, and we're trying to work it out. She's got another 10 months over there. No one understands the pain military families go through.

I can't believe someone has not heard of Jody. Of course, I too learned of Jody in basic training at Lackland AFB, TX in June-July 1971. Was reminded of Jody throughout my career. Had trouble with "her" -- or let's say my ex-husband did.

It is sad that Jody exists when military spouses should know what they are getting into in the first place. EVERY military spouse should be aware that their loved one may (or WILL, in certain cases) go overseas for an extended period of time. I knew what I was getting into, and that is why I do not have any desire to cheat on my spouse while he is overseas. Too bad some of these other spouses can't control themselves enough to think along the same lines. And also, they shouldn't be putting themselves into the position to invite a Jody into their lives anyways! What a way to welcome home a hero....