I was never stationed at Okinawa but I was TDY there. I did have a similar remote assignment in Korea where I was stationed away from my family for a year.

Being in a country so different than the US where the language is almost impossible to grasp and on an island is stressful.

Having said that, Okinawa is beautiful and the people are incredibly polite. The living quarters are no more cramped than any other remote assignment. The airbase nearby has a Chilie's for Christ sake. Every assignment is what you make of it. If you chose to be drunk and miserable you will be. In Korea a great number of people chose to be drunk and miserable. I chose to see the country. How high-stress can an assignment be where you aren't being shot at? Naturally traveling does eat into your drinking funds.

I was also stationed in Italy and young troops complained about that. I heard it all. I hate Italians. I can't get a slurpee at 2am. Why can't I do spin-outs in the piazza? We saved their asses in WWII so they owe me the right to insult them, throw up, trash their cars, etc, etc, etc. Someday they'll pay a lot of money to go back to Italy.

My personal opinion about the violence on Okinawa is that it is an island. It can feel claustrophobic. It's also oriental and the traditional opinion of orientals is that they are to be used. You take young kids, fill their heads full of stories about juicy girls and how you can get whatever you want and there are bound to be frustrations when reality hits them in the face. Yes there are lots of exercises, there are also degree programs, volunteer work, gym facilities, libraries, and other things. You're only limited by your imagination or lack of.