ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the principles which govern interaction of officers' wives in the Navy community and the process through which these principles were discovered and which newcomers must go through in order to be considered competent members. A number of social scientists have argued in favor of personal involvement of membership in the community one studies. Whether or not the researcher-member can experience the community in the same way as ordinary members also depends on whether he can sustain a dual allegiance to the community of members and the community of researchers. Rules are instructions to behave in a particular way, which insure uniform behavior and thus, predictable behavior. Members of peace groups are especially suspect since they not only question authority, but do not believe in the American Way as defined by the military community.
