Whidbey,

You mention if Uncle Sam had sent you to England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you may not have got on the plane home.
Then again, you may not have been able to get on the 'plane quick enough!...depending on where you were stationed.
All these places have their terrible areas. I always feel sorry for poor sods visiting if they don't know their way around, or what's what.

Re. if people from another land can "get it"...and get it right;

That's only half the battle.
To be accepted is the other half.( and without doubt, the ''righter" we get it, the easier the acceptance)
Even when accepted as a good and decent chap, in many places you are still not accepted like a local, for the simple reason that you Aren't local!

Example;
When we lost the farm to developement in NE England, we moved 50 miles to another farm. There we were told that;
"You have to have three generations in the churchyard before you're accepted"!

We did pretty well, and fit in, and had lots of friends, but I'm sure still weren't Really regarded as locals.
Not trying to be discouraging to anyone, but the "getting it" has two sides, ..one of them only partly in our control.

All best,
Richard.