The value in this is the historical dimension. Apparently, "crinkle-crankle" dates to 1598. So it's a pre-US term.

I agree that it's not a good look to automatically prefer the military term to the "ridiculous" one. It smacks of toxic masculinity.

"Crinkle-crankle" is obviously archaic, and it evokes folk art and (in the US) colonial culture. That is fairly neutral, as placenames go.