G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)/References

References/Trivia

Cultural references

The title is a reference to G.I. Joe. "Grunt" is United States military slang for an infantry soldier. 'Annoyed grunt' is the script notation for Homer's favorite exclamation, D'oh.
When the colonel has the recruits do push-ups while Homer eats donuts, it is referencing a scene in the movie Full Metal Jacket. The movie is again referenced when Homer wonders if the drill sergeant will ask him "what his major malfunction is".
The Army recruitment film shown at Springfield Elementary uses "Arise, Ye Russian People" from Prokofiev's soundtrack for Alexander Nevsky before switching to Led Zeppelin's "Communication Breakdown."
Milhouse asks about The Doodlebops, a popular children's show.
The music playing during the assault course is the song Toy Soldiers by Martika.
When the mini-helicopter blows up, "That's all Folks" appears in the enemy screen.
When Homer explains why they shouldn't surrender to the Colonel's troops, he mentions that the Army will strip people naked, put a bag over their face, and have hicks laugh at them, referring to the torture controversy at Abu Ghraib prison.
When Lisa attempts to lecture the Army Colonel about how an occupying force is outmatched by determined people in a foreign nation, she cites the Vietnam War and its result as one of the sources.