A dependa is the "Karen" of military spouses (except civilian-spoused Karens
don't expect you to salute them).
The term dependa isn't necessarily about the dependant status, but the attitude carried with it. Dependas are often called out for participating in a form of Stolen Valor, by expecting the respect and thanks that their spouses
get for their "service to their country". They wear their spouse's uniform items for
extra likes on social platforms, and make sure to
post a family photo every veterans day expecting "Thank you for your service" comments. They have a greatly overestimated self-importance and see themselves as an asset to the military instead of additional paperwork and a drain on the system. They fail to see that
single service members exist and are easier for the military to employ than those with dependents. They often use "we" statements in regards to things their spouses do in the military to make themselves feel more
special. They often claim to have "the hardest
job in the military" and
don't see this as an insult to
people who actually serve.
Find dependas in their natural habitats: on their couches scrolling the
fb spouse pages for
drama, having freakouts on base employees at the bx/px food courts, and demanding to be given exemptions to the base rules with the tagline: "Do you know who my husband is???🤡"
The pre-evolved form of a "Dependopotamus".