Returning home from being deployed should be a happy time for a military family, but in today’s story, nothing was the same after the deployment ended.

One man suspected that his wife was cheating on him with his friend who had been deployed with him.

In the end, the man finds out he’s right and finds a way to use the military to get revenge.

Let’s see how the story plays out…

Mess with my wife, I’ll take your Rank!

Back in 2013 I was transferred from Sunny San Diego to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

I had been in the Marines for over 4 years and had been sent to a unit that would finally give me the chance to deploy to Afghanistan.

In case you don’t know, before your unit deploys overseas, you have a mountain of classes and training to get done which starts around 6 months or so prior to the date.

OP deploys to Afghanistan but can’t contact his wife.

I had become close friends with Joe, who my senior most Corporal (I was the only Sergeant in my platoon), and we hung out all the time outside of work, we would BBQ, go to the gym, have parties with the families, etc.

Well that fateful time comes and we get sent to the land of never ending sand. About 4 months in, I start to get a funny feeling that something was not right due to the lack of being able to talk to my wife on the phone or Facebook messenger.

I do have a special skill that I honed from sneaking past my Vietnam veteran father who was very set in that bed time meant bed time, and not raid the fridge for snacks time; I am very quiet and you wont hear me coming unless I want you to.

OP catches his friend talking to his wife via video chat.

One day, I came into our PEB (just a big container that housed around 8 people in it), and seen my wife’s face on the video chat of my best friend Joe, who didn’t hear me until I shut the door.

I played it off like nothing and the rest of the deployment had moments just like this, where I would see or hear them talking and just take notes for my revenge.

Before things really got to me mentally, our time in the sandbox was coming to an end and we flew home.

Joe was acting suspicious.

The homecoming was uneventful other than my 2 year old not realizing who I was for a few minutes, then it was happiness all around.

Just like before deploying, we have a mountain of classes after we get back to scan for TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries), mental health awareness, certifications, etc., and nobody was exempt from completing the various death by power point classes that were scheduled for that week.

Out of nowhere, Joe had random appointments almost every day or something would come up where it would have to leave while everyone else was stuck all day long at a class or at medical getting screened for everything under the sun.

Do you ever have the feeling that your gut is telling you, 100%, that something is going on, but your brain is like, no, stop being paranoid? well, that’s what I was dealing with on a daily basis.

OP confronted Joe and then told the Battalion Sergeant Major.

I began to follow Joe a few days a week when he would leave work early or have to make a call, and sure enough, his car would be right outside my house every single time.

When I finally confronted Joe, he denied it up and down like I was going crazy, and genuinely made me feel like I was offending him by the accusations.

I quietly compiled the evidence and brought it all to the Battalion Sergeant Major, who if you don’t know, is the top of the food chain under the Battalion Commander.

After a week or so I get called into the Battalion Commanders office to discuss his findings and to ask me what I want to happen; my answer is simple, I WANT HIS RANK!

Joe lost his rank, but OP wanted to work things out with his wife.

Justice came swift and painful, Joe was awarded loss of rank, forfeiture of 1/2 months pay for two months, restriction and extra duties.

Shortly after we came back to the states, Joe was promoted to Sergeant, and in less than a month, his rank was gone.

I heard from mutual friends that he left his wife to be with his new girlfriend who is also pregnant with his third son.

Oh and incase you’re wondering, I was trying to stay with my wife for my son, but I found that that was a huge mistake.

OP ended up getting remarried.

A few months after the dust settled, I was transferred back to San Diego to go on a cruise, and my wife and I were giving this our last shot.

I went underway for two weeks and guess where she fly’s to; his house, to have their last bit of time together!

After I found all of this out, I just lost any interest in being nice and making it work, I deployed on the ship, and actually met my new wife there, we’ve been together ever since, and I have been much happier than when I was being mentally tortured by my ex.

Moral of the story, don’t mess with your best friends wife!

I’m surprised he didn’t confront his wife about it when he got home from Afghanistan. I wonder if his ex ended up marrying Joe.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted…

Here’s a story about how another military couple broke up…

This reader thinks cheating wives are stupid.

Here’s the perspective of a retired marine…

This reader thinks OP should’ve spoken up sooner.

He really should’ve confronted Joe or his wife when he saw them video chatting.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.