The Trouble With New People

As I've mentioned I have trouble adjusting to new things, especially new people and places. After living in the same town for 17 years, and the same state for pretty much my entire life (not counting 2 years in Oregon as a child) I'm faced with a lot of social challenges. I can't just sit at home all the time, that's unhealthy. And I need some independence, so I should probably get out without Michael once in a while.
When I'm around new people a lot goes through my mind. They're completely unpredictable, I know nothing about them, and I admit I'm quick to judge and analyze the first things I see and hear. In Phoenix I found one or two people from school I could focus on and get to know, but here there's at least twenty new people I see here and there. It's a whole new crowd. I can't just run home at anytime. I have to stay here and make something out of this situation.
So far I'm discovering some interesting truths. First of all, anyone who isn't from Arizona seems to think it never snows and is made of sand and cactus. The other day, a girl said I looked like I was from Arizona because I had my hair braided a certain way. Because I looked indian, and apparently Arizona is made of indians. Wow. I had to laugh and calmly correct her. Losing my shit this early on would result in months of awkwardness, so I'm doing my best to behave, despite my impulses to call people on their ignorance and freak out at what I'm about to talk about.
One or two of the wives do seem nice. Although one has a tendency to be a bitch even by my standards, but we get along. The rest are a medley of girls under 23 who seem like they shouldn't be here. I hear a lot of complaints, mostly about husbands and annoying housewife things. There's an 18 year old who's married, and has been married, and wouldn't shut up about what an asshole her husband is. On the other hand, I hear it's the same guy who did something that by all rights should've gotten him kicked out of the army.
You see where I'm going with this? Everyone is so gossipy and they talk about other guys who aren't their husbands and it all makes me really uncomfortable. Supposedly I've been inducted into a "family," but you can't just up and act like you've known someone for years based solely on the fact that both of you followed your husbands to a boring town and left real family and friends behind. If I were to make friends with someone, it's going to take time, and I don't know who it's going to be at this point. So far I'm still convinced that my real friends are in Arizona. They know too much about me and they still want to hang out with me.
Over half of this town is made up of military families. Some of the best couples are in their early twenties without kids, because it feels the most normal. I'd really like to meet individuals outside of the military though. It just seems almost impossible at this point. School and a job are in order, that's for sure.