5 cringeworthy military slang terms (that we should actually retire)

Anyone who knows what Marines call the jerry can tube adapter knows there are a lot of inappropriate nicknames in the military. American troops come up with a simple shorthand for just about everything. Think about it: is it easier to ask for the jerry can tube adaptor or its three-syllable nickname? Time is of the essence in the military. U.S. troops have to move and speak with purpose – and some of that talk isn't for the faint of heart.

1. "Donkey D*ck"

This is the nickname of the aforementioned jerry can tube adapter, basically, the spout for a gas can. In everyday usage, however, this moniker would actually be used to describe anything with a phallic shaper longer than six inches. That's just how it is.

2. "Pecker Checker"

This is the nickname given to the Navy's Hospital Corpsmen, all of which are assigned to be the medic (for lack of a better term) to a group of United States Marines. Also known as "Doc" or "Devil Doc" (if the corpsman is deserving of the title), the term refers to the propensity of Marines on liberty to "send their junior enlisted troop into unarmed combat without his chem gear," and thus has to be checked for a venereal disease.

In reality, the doc is much more likely to administer a drip bag for alcohol-related dehydration than a daily STD check, but the nickname sticks.

3. "Kickin Chicken"

An American troop who is said do be doing the "Kickin' Chicken" is a victim of a chemical weapon attack. There are certain chemical agents used in warfare that will cause the human body to spasm and kick, maybe even flail around before death. Seeing a battle buddy doing the "Kickin' Chicken" is a sure sign of a chemical attack and means your buddy needs you to use the autoinjectors he's hopefully packing in his MOPP gear.

4. "Dependa"

This is a terrible blanket nickname given to military spouses, even when undeserved. The full word is dependapotamus, from the word hippopotamus and refers to the physical appearance of the spouse. If there's any animosity toward military spouses, it's usually based in some kind of urban legend, such as a spouse pulling their husband or wife's rank with other troops or the perception that milspouses are just in their marriage for the benefits.

While some individual examples of this behavior might be found anecdotally, actual research shows military families – spouses in particular – are undeserving of this nickname. Military spouses have a huge network and do their best to make sure new milspouses are taught their own customs and courtesies from the get-go.

5. "In Country"

This seems like a pretty innocuous expression and in the modern era, it really is. Most people won't even know it's short for "Indian Country," and is referencing a U.S. troop's arrival in the original theater of combat: the American Frontier, also known as hostile territory, according to historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. The most recent use of the full term was actually said to the American media in a press briefing during Operation Desert Storm, when Brig. Gen. Richard Neal actually said the term "Indian Country," referring to Kuwait. The term was apparently shortened during the Vietnam era, according to research from American anthropologist Stephen Sillman.