The National Security Act: Is it really a law?

Me either sir - Casey was a commissioned officer - Naval Reserves before he joined the OSS. From what I could find it read as either position ever being commissioned active or retired. I have a feeling I'm not understanding those terms. or the details of the Act.

SPC David S. - this is a guess, but I doubt in 1953 they would pass an amendment that prohibited anyone who was ever an officer from serving. Back then, practically everyone had served in WWII, and the predecessor of the CIA was the military intelligence services. Casey served in the OSS. I think the restriction about both being on active duty and/or retired would be more of an effort to keep the military as an institution from trying to keep its place of primacy in intel and undercutting the new CIA. A retired general and an active general could easily be seen to still be under the influence of the military good old boy system. But the fact that someone served as an officer years ago and got out is not really the same level of connection.

I would think that if the amendment truly wanted to exclude anyone who had previously served as an officer, it would have just stated that. But designating active or retired means someone either currently under military authority or a career military man. The wording I saw is the same you quoted: they can't be an active or retired; but that wording, IMO, doesn't mean had ever been active. Rather, I think it means is currently active. I mean, if you take someone who was an LT in VN and got out, in 1980 you wouldn't say they are an active commissioned officer. just my reading of the words.

Yes sir I thought for one it would have been rather difficult to find two individuals will the desired skill set as well never having served as a commissioned officer during this time frame but like you said this was early 1980's with a much different pool of candidates than in 1953. As well I think much of the early frictions between the FBI, CIA, and military due to the original 1947 would have dissipated. The original act was about reshaping the military and the intelligence community - replaced the National Military Establishment (NME) with the Department of Defense and as well no more Secretary of War with the less hostile sounding Secretary of Defense. Created the Air Force and reworked the OSS by consolidating a good bit of the military intelligence community within the CIA I see the 1953 changes as a measure to define roles and well their subordinates of those positions and like you stated help make the CIA a civilian organization detached from military influence (as well maybe prevent a coup - as it would take two people to turn the keys).