Editor’s Note: It’s crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); and SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles, CA)

So, not all of our soldier pals got to catch this week’s “Idol” performances (SSG Cody was the only one who did, and he only caught the last half of the episode), because they were off doing what our nation’s servicemen and women do — real classified-type stuff. That means there isn’t a complete briefing from our Iraq-based “Idol” hounds this week. But even though he’s halfway around the globe, in one of the world’s most unstable countries, Cody still could tell that dread-head Jason Castro’s number was going to be the one called.

Surprisingly, SSG Cody didn’t even mention Paulagate in his report, but it does seem he’s got a little thing for dark horse Syesha Mercado — but that’s something he’s got to work out himself.

SSG Cody’s impressions of this week’s “Idol,” after the jump.

David Cook, “Baba O’Riley” (The Who)

Steve: “Really good performance. His vocals were great. He is my favorite, and I hope he wins this year.”

Syesha Mercado, “A Change Is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke)

Steve: “She, as always, was the embodiment of beauty. Her performance was great — one for the ‘AI’ history books. You could tell that every word in that song came from her heart.”

Jason Castro, “Mr. Tambourine Man” (Bob Dylan)

Steve: “Good. Even when he screwed up, he did it without stopping and with a kind of grace. With that being said, at this point in the competition, I don’t think that this song is powerful enough to make it. He better pack his bags.”

David Archuleta, “Love Me Tender” (Elvis)

Steve: “The song he sang is not familiar to me at all. With that said, his performance was one of the best in this season. I think that in a few years, after David gets some more life experience and maturity, he will become a superstar.”