MAJOR PROPOSALS FOR AMENDING THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 1947 9. Departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force 10. Budgetary and Fiscal Procedures 11. Personnel Chairmen appointed by the President, and statutory duties vested in the Boards rather than the Chairmen. Munitions Board to function "in support of strategic and logistic plans prepared by the JCS." Departments administered as individual executive departments within the National Military Establishment, retaining all powers and duties not specifically conferred upon the Secretary of Defense and with their Secretaries having the statutory right to present to the President or the Director of the Budget any report relating to their departments. The Secretary of Defense to supervise and coordinate the preparation of budget estimates, to formulate and determine the budget estimates for submittal, and to supervise the budget programs of the departments and agencies comprising the National Military Establishment. The Secretary of Defense to appoint such civilian personnel as necessary for performance of the functions of the National Military Establishment except personnel of the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Full authority for procurement and management of supplies to be vested in the Secretary of Defense. Eberstadt Task Force recommended giving the Chairmen of the Boards more powers of decision. Secretaries of military departments to be designated as Under Secretaries for Army, Navy, and Air Force with all statutory authority vested in these departments to be granted directly to the Secretary of Defense. Secretaries to lose the privilege of appeal over the head of the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense, with full powers over the preparation of the budget and expenditures, to establish a "performance" type budget and uniform budgetary and accounting practices throughout the military establishment. Eberstadt Task Force recommended the establishment of a Comptroller in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and in each military department. Secretary of Defense to establish uniform personnel policies for civilian and military personnel throughout the military establishment with emphasis on an integrated system of military personnel administration, military education, training, recruitment, promotion, and transfers among the military Services. Reorganization Plan Sequence of Major Events 1. The National Security Organization—1949-52. Only relatively minor changes were made in the National Security Act during this period as major attention was focused on the rebuilding of military strength to meet aggression in Korea and other parts of the world. 2. Secretary Lovett's Letter-18 November 1952. At the President's request, the outgoing Secretary of Defense analyzed the Department's organizational shortcomings. 3. The Rockefeller Committee-11 February-11 April 1953. The Committee recommended, and the Secretary of Defense approved, changes in the organization of the Department intended to enable it to operate more effectively and efficiently under the direction of the Secretary of Defense and to provide maximum security at minimum cost. 4. President Eisenhower's Message-30 April 1953. The President endorsed the suggestions made by the Rockefeller Committee and transmitted his own recommendations to the Congress with Reorganization Plan No. 6. 5. Reorganization Plan No. 6 (effective 30 June 1953). This reorganization became effective 60 days after its transmittal when neither House of the Congress took unfavorable action on the proposed changes. III. Reorganization Plan No. 6 of 1953 1. The National Security Organization—1949–52. The organization of the Department of Defense, as established by the 1949 amendments, was in effect less than a year when the Korean hostilities shifted attention from organizational problems to rebuilding the military strength of the United States. (For organization of Office of Secretary of Defense in May 1950, see Chart 10.) Such changes as were made in the National Security Act during the Korean War years were in response to immediate problems or were of relatively minor importance: a. The salaries of the statutory officers mentioned in the act were increased by Public Law 359, 81st Congress, 15 October 1949 (63 Stat. 880). b. The inter-Service transfer of medical officers by the Secretary of Defense, subject to the consent of the officer and the military Services concerned, was authorized by Section 3 of Public Law 779, 81st Congress, 9 September 1950 (64 Stat. 828). c. The appointment of General of the Army George C. Marshall as Secretary of Defense, contrary to the provision "that a person who has within 10 years been on active duty as a commissioned officer in a Regular component of the armed services shall not be eligible," was authorized by Public Law 788, 81st Congress, 18 September 1950 (64 Stat. 853). d. The authority of the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, was defined more specifically by the Air Force Organization Act of 1951, Public Law 150, 82nd Congress (65 Stat. 333), which amended one sentence of subsection 208 (b) of the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, to read as follows, with new wording in bold face type and former wording in italics within brackets: Under the direction of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, shall exercise command over the air defense command, the strategic air command, the tactical air command and such other major commands as may be established by the Secretary under section 308 (b) of the Air Force Organization Act of 1951, and shall have supervision over all other members and organizations of the Air Force, [the United States Air Force] and shall be charged with the duty of carrying into execution all lawful orders and directions which may be transmitted to him. e. The Commandant of the Marine Corps was authorized by Public Law 416, 82nd Congress, 28 June 1952 (66 Stat. 282) to meet with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, having coequal status with the other members, whenever any matter of concern to the Marine Corps would be under consideration. The same act also amended Section 206 (c) of the National Security Act of 1947 by introducing specific language on the composition and authorized strength of the Marine Corps. f. A Defense Supply Management Agency, to develop a single catalog |