Uninformed: disassociation only applied for a long time to someone who joined the military and "by their course of action showed they were no longer one of JW's".
Disassociation was one of the keys, for me, that the GB was not under direction of WHO they said they were. Bear with me on that one. Yes, there was a very early (1870's) reference to it from a 1975 yearbook.
*** yb75 p. 65 Part 1--United States of America ***
It will be recalled that in the 1870’s C. T. Russell disassociated himself from N. H. Barbour, publisher of The Herald of the Morning. This he did because Barbour denied the Scriptural doctrine of the ransom, which Russell staunchly upheld.
The following, however, may have been one of the earliest references to the modern use of Disassociating oneself.
*** w70 7/1 p. 406 par. 19 Personally Benefiting from the Bible’s Laws and Principles ***
19 Say, for purposes of illustration, that an individual persistently neglects to attend meetings. He comes to the point where he is completely disassociated from the congregation, not having any concern at all for Jehovah’s arrangements for His people to meet together. The congregation does not take any action against him; they have recognized his wrong course and have tried to help him; but he has on his own drifted away and disassociated himself. Now, if he remains in this state, is he, nonetheless, not in danger? He is in great peril, for in the coming "great tribulation" he will be destroyed just as surely as the individual who has taken an obviously wrong course.--Matt. 24:21, 22.
Here was the key I mention above. I attended one of the early KM schools, a two week session for elders. I believe, and could be wrong, that it was close to 1975. The term "disassociating oneself" came up as a question from one in attendance -- me. It was a logical question since many in my home congregation were confused about it. Why have two terms for cutting off, they would ask.
Ah, the instructor considered. He proceeded -- If we didn't have the two terms Brooklyn as we know it could be shut down by the U.S. government.
How's that, we asked?
Treason, he replied. Legal tells us that if we disfellowshipped someone who joined the military, the Society would be vulnerable to treason. It's that simple. For such cases we simply loophole that and announce that so-and-so disassociated himself. "He did it, we didn't do it.". Brothers, he went on, we are in the middle of war, Theocratic War. We say what we must to continue this vital work.
A few of us talked about that after the session. We couldn't recall any who had been disfellowshipped for joining the military. It was the one egregious offense where the Society placed its tail between its legs. It all added up.
From the moment the instructor gave us that explanation I felt I was with a corporation of cowards. That we feared man above God. I lasted till 1977.
Fats