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natalie3442

Swinging in the Military

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I was a lieutenant in the US Air Force in the 1980s. My husband was a captain and we were both stationed together at RAF Lakenheath which is in the United Kingdom some 60 miles northeast of London. I was in charge of an administration unit at the base hospital while my husband dealt with weapondry of mass destruction that the F-111 bomber/jets at RAF Lakenheath were to deliver to the Soviet Union. We met and married in the UK and a small bungalow (small house) off base in the city of Ely. The large cathederal could be seen in our backyard as it was only a half mile away. We led a very nice life (before the kids) and liked to go out with other couples, both British and Americans.

 

Though we were not involved in swinging at the time we did hear rumors about something called "key parties" that occurred between some Air Force officers. We were intrigued when we learned what they were (which I have to admit was the very first seed of our future sexual journey). They involved couples going to a normal party and putting their car/house keys into a bowl. Later in the evening the woman would fish out a set of keys and go home with the owner of the keys. I know that these parties were highly illegal for military members but I never heard of anyone actually being brought up on charges for it.

 

For those having never served, the military has its own justice system (the UCMJ) which is very strict and has far fewer rights than normal citizens. The US Constitution allows for this different justice system for the military. Wheras Adultry is not a crime in the outside world, you can be jailed for it in the military. A few years ago the first female B-52 pilot was given a bad conduct discharge for having sex with the civilian husband of an enlisted woman. I remember there was outrage over her sentence and people pointed out that she didn't commit a crime in the civilian world. But they were very wrong and her conviction was upheld and she was discharged.

 

That being said, swinging (or key parties) are looked upon the military as a crime. That's why I was absolutely afraid to even think about doing this. Of course I wasn't ready for it at the time anyway, so it didn't matter, but I probably wouldn't have done it even if my lusts were raging because of the consequences. So I was amazed about hearing of these key parties and wondered if the military would come down on them. I guess no one talked or gave evidence because there was never an investigation (at least I didn't hear of one) while I was there.

 

I have no connections with the military today. Does anyone know if this is still true today? Could a military couple swing and not be punished with possible jail time?

 

Natalie

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I'm a military officer, but I'm nearly at my 30 year mark so it would be a retirement for me I guess. However it seems the UCMJ has been relaxed somewhat due to the repeal of DADT. I just prefer to keep our lifestyle choice private due to my position as a commanding officer. In about 18 months it'll be different after I'm retired. ~Tom

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Oh, and I also want to point out than Fran and I don't have intercourse with other people. So, is that adultery in the eyes of the UCMJ? They could use article 92 as a general conduct thing about discredit of the service or something. ~Tom

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Well I'm sure that in the military of 1988 you would have been found guilty of Unbecoming an Officer or something like that. I'm glad that things have relaxed a bit.

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We swing with quite a few military couples, officers and enlisted. It seems more officers than enlisted but it's hard to convict anyone without proof. Keep your swinging PDA out of the public and deny, make counter accusations, and demand proof :) Unless you are caught red handed, how are they going to bring up charges?

 

The worry in military swinging lies with other military couples whose relationships go south. Don't want to get dragged into that but even then, if you didn't swing with them then all they can say is that they saw you at socials, etc. but a lot of people who don't swing like the erotic atmosphere of these types of clubs.

 

Swing smart.

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After I was discharged in '73, there were a few couples that I knew were swapping in my Combat Control outfit that got outed and in quite a bit of trouble. I don't think any were severely punished, just reprimanded. I remember one of the couples had propositioned me and my new wife but our marriage was just too new at that time and it didn't work. It was two years later that we dove in.

 

And I believe I've read that during WW11 the pilots had an agreement to take care of each other's wives when some were gone. And, that meant in every way. They all became so close that it orginated modern swinging. OK, I'm googling that now. :)

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I hate to say it but it is still a crime to commit adultery in the military. DADT was changed but the military didn't change the UCMJ on adultery (or sodomy!!!!).

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There's so much adultery...not swinging, but real, serious cheating...going on in the military it is rather ridiculous to charge someone with adultery under the UCMJ. We've seen it here on this forum before that swinging horrifies people far more than cheating. Cheating is 'acceptable'. Swinging isn't.

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My wife and I were also in the air force, and the key parties (also sometimes called fish bowl parties) are quite common. We have attended a few of them ourselves

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The impression I get is that the military only prosecutes for adultery in cases where it becomes public and undermines a military unit in some way, especially if its between an officer and enlisted personnel, or if it becomes public in a way that embarrasses people.

 

As others said, adultery among servicemen and women is very common, especially when couples are separated by long distances for long periods of time. If all of them were prosecuted, we wouldn't have enough soldiers or sailors.

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My current favorite swing partner was married to a career officer (now deceased). She said that if all the officers who committed adultery were discharged, there would not be enough left to run the army. Any time her husband was deployed, she got offer after offer to enjoy an afternoon delight or a more extended affair. I won't reveal whether or not she acccepted any of them.

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Back in the 1970s, in Germany, my live-in girlfriend worked as a bartender in an American Officers' Club. The offers she received were many and concern for the UCMJ seemed non-existant.

 

Alura

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I was a lieutenant in the US Air Force in the 1980s. My husband was a captain and we were both stationed together at RAF Lakenheath which is in the United Kingdom some 60 miles northeast of London. I was in charge of an administration unit at the base hospital while my husband dealt with weapondry of mass destruction that the F-111 bomber/jets at RAF Lakenheath were to deliver to the Soviet Union. We met and married in the UK and a small bungalow (small house) off base in the city of Ely. The large cathederal could be seen in our backyard as it was only a half mile away. We led a very nice life (before the kids) and liked to go out with other couples, both British and Americans.

 

Though we were not involved in swinging at the time we did hear rumors about something called "key parties" that occurred between some Air Force officers. We were intrigued when we learned what they were (which I have to admit was the very first seed of our future sexual journey). They involved couples going to a normal party and putting their car/house keys into a bowl. Later in the evening the woman would fish out a set of keys and go home with the owner of the keys. I know that these parties were highly illegal for military members but I never heard of anyone actually being brought up on charges for it.

 

For those having never served, the military has its own justice system (the UCMJ) which is very strict and has far fewer rights than normal citizens. The US Constitution allows for this different justice system for the military. Wheras Adultry is not a crime in the outside world, you can be jailed for it in the military. A few years ago the first female B-52 pilot was given a bad conduct discharge for having sex with the civilian husband of an enlisted woman. I remember there was outrage over her sentence and people pointed out that she didn't commit a crime in the civilian world. But they were very wrong and her conviction was upheld and she was discharged.

 

That being said, swinging (or key parties) are looked upon the military as a crime. That's why I was absolutely afraid to even think about doing this. Of course I wasn't ready for it at the time anyway, so it didn't matter, but I probably wouldn't have done it even if my lusts were raging because of the consequences. So I was amazed about hearing of these key parties and wondered if the military would come down on them. I guess no one talked or gave evidence because there was never an investigation (at least I didn't hear of one) while I was there.

 

I have no connections with the military today. Does anyone know if this is still true today? Could a military couple swing and not be punished with possible jail time?

 

Natalie

 

My friend is in army and he was found guilty for doing such activity. I think laws must be changed now

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My friend is in army and he was found guilty for doing such activity. I think laws must be changed now

 

That sucks. How long ago did that happen? What did he get caught doing?

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I know it's been a while since I was in the Army but typically, things of this nature, do not usually get brought up on charges. When they are, you usually find that they were having parties in the barracks, they were arrested at a party that was raided for something like disturbing the peace, etc.

 

The military doesn't typically go out looking to try and find their soldiers doing something wrong unless they are after you to begin with but then they don't usually need to go this far. Military Justice has to have proof. I was separated from my first wife for two years and was dating another woman (my current wife). The army tried to bring me up on charges but you can't prosecute on he said/she said. They have to have proof. My commander told them to pound sand and to come back when they could prove the allegations.

 

There has to be a lot more to this story.

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