My dad was in the Air Force when I was born till I was 12 (then he went to work for NASA). We lived on Okinawa from 1960 to 1965, so I was there from age 5 - 10. We lived off-base in Awasi for a year, then lived on base at Kadena AFB the rest of our time there. I'm sure things are completely different now, but back then it was a great place to grow up! Okinawa was a US possesion back then. If you called an Okinawan Japanese they would correct you, "i am Okinawan not Japanese!"
We loved to go to Ishikawa Beach on the weekends. As a kid that's what I lived for. I learned how to fish from the docks at White Beach.
Funny thing - I have quite a few Okinawan friends here on Hawaii Island who have never been to Okinawa. They think it's cool that I lived there and ask me what it was like to grow up there. Many things here remind me of Okinawa. That's part of why I like it here so much. I can get real Okinawan kine yaki soba here!
I didn't start homebrewing till 24 years after I left there so I can't help you much on that front.
I hope you enjoy your time there. Thank you for your service!