The Defense Attachés
SA DoD Directive in 1949 stated that, "Each
Military Service is individually responsible for its own Attaché
System, including coordination with the State Department." For
a time (from July 1951 to March 1952) the Secretary of Defense,
at JCS urging, established a limited Executive Agent System for
logistical and administrative functions in support of Attaché operations.
This set the precedent for DIA assuming these responsibilities
later on.
Except for the responsibilities of DoD's Office of Special Operations
operated independently. OSO negotiated with the Department of State
for opening, augmenting, and reducing posts as well as establishing
the manpower ceilings for the three Service Attaché systems. Upon
the activation of DIA, and the subsequent disestablishment of OSO,
DIA's Assistant Chief of Staff Plans and Programs assumed this
responsibility. In 1961, the Secretary of Defense deferred the
placement of all Attachés under DIA management, and the Services
continued to manage, operate, and support their individual Attaché
systems.
In March 1963, the few DIA responsibilities concerning Attaché
posts were reassigned from DIAPL to the Directorate for Acquisition
as the Human Resources Division, Collection Management Office.
DIAPL responsibility included briefing outgoing and debriefing
returning Attachés, and coordinating Attaché matters, particularly
in programming new Attaché posts with the State Department. The
significance of the Attaché function grew as a result of DIA involvement.
The reasons for this were: 1) the greater emphasis on opening African
Attaché posts, 2) the enhanced role of Attachés in foreign security
programs, 3) the expanded DIA role as coordinator on Attaché matters
with unified commands, and 4) the assumption of responsibility
to review the Attaché portion of the consolidated intelligence
program and consolidated intelligence budget.
Several problems existed with the control of Attachés fragmented
under the Services. Each reported separately to the Ambassador
and represented the U.S. separately to the host country military,
causing duplication of effort both on post and between posts in
neighboring countries. Moreover, the distribution of information
was poor. Artificial barriers to a free exchange of information
between Services and the JCS existed, and the coordination of Attaché
activities with other DoD elements was difficult. The cost to DoD
in sponsoring up to three separate Service elements in a single
country amounted to the inefficient use of limited resources. Furthermore,
the collection and dissemination of duplicate intelligence produced
uncertainties.
In December 1964 Mr. McNamara pointed to these problems and the
existing incompatibility with the intent of the President, in directing
the establishment of DIA, as a basis for revising the system. On
12 December, he stated,
I am today announcing my decision to designate a Senior Defense
Attaché in each foreign country to increase the efficiency of our
Attaché work at the embassies in which they serve. The Joint Chiefs
of Staff and I will look to this Attaché to supervise and coordinate
the work of all U.S. Attachés assigned at particular embassies,
to make certain that the needs of the ambassadors are filled and
to be the senior representative of the Department of Defense at
the embassy at which he is stationed. The Senior Defense Attaché
in each country will report to me through the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In implementing this decision, we will, of course, continue to
draw upon the Military Services for the staffing of our Attaché
posts.
The Defense Attaché System (DAS) was established by DoD Directive
C-5105.32, 12 December l964. The directive assigned "...the
DAS as part of the DIA and it would consist of all military personnel
accredited as Attachés or assistant Attachés to foreign governments
as well as other DoD personnel assigned to Attaché posts." The
first step toward bringing the DAS under the full operational control
of DIA had been taken.
In conjunction with his decision personally to designate senior
defense Attachés, Secretary of Defense McNamara charged DIA to
develop a phased "Outline Plan" for a single Defense
Attaché System under DIA in order to improve the management of
this important function. As a result, DIA would improve its response
to the requirements of the Secretary of Defense and the JCS for
the collecting and reporting of intelligence information and to "...
satisfy the overseas representational requirements of all components
of the DoD." These protocol duties included overseeing ship
visits, aircraft clearances, and VIP visitors as well as representing
the respective military services at official functions. The "Outline
Plan" was approved by Secretary of Defense McNamara on 20
March 1965.
On 1 July 1965, the Defense Attaché System officially came under
the Director of DIA for the purpose of providing administrative,
personnel, and logistics support to the Defense Attaché Offices.
It was called the Defense Attaché Detachment (DIAAD) with three
branch-level activities titled according to its three-part mission.
Furthermore, the Attaché Branch (of the Human Resources Division,
Collection Management Office, Assistant Directorate for Acquisition)
was disestablished on 1 October 1965 and replaced by the Attaché
Activities Division (DIAAQ-2E). This organization included Staff
Management, European/American, and African/Asian branches. Its
responsibilities were associated with the management, requirements,
and policy side of DAS collection activities.
The objectives of the DAS under DIA were twofold. Primarily, to
provide a more efficient system for the collection of intelligence
information for DoD components; it was also to preserve a channel
for Service-to-Service and DoD representational matters of common
interest. At the same time, DIA was directed to effect "appreciable
manpower savings without degradation of the essential functions
and activities of the DAS." The DAS came into being with 91
Defense Attaché Offices and an authorized manning of 1,880. Following
DIA review, DAS manning was established at 1,568, a reduction of
16.6 percent in response to Secretary of Defense guidance.
The Defense Attaché System was a logical outgrowth of the centralization
of military intelligence functions in DIA. The Services initially
objected to giving up control of the Attachés, primarily because
protocol was a major function of the Attachés and allegedly would
be lost should DIA assume this responsibility. In addition, the
Services argued that much of the intelligence collected by the
Attachés was particularly relevant to their unique needs and, thus,
the Attachés could be better managed and information better controlled
by the military intelligence elements of their respective Service.
The necessity for coordinating the activities of the Attachés
abroad and the Attachés' potential for collecting intelligence
valuable to DIA served to override the Services' objections to
relinquishing control. In spite of Service fears, the Attachés
continued to represent their respective Services at official functions
and to provide intelligence in response to requirements of interest
to the Services.
The Director, DIA, and the Deputy Director for Attachés established
the selection criteria for the Attachés. It was often general in
nature, and included language proficiency, good character, and
a family that could assist the Attaché in representing the U.S.
abroad. In addition, the Directorate determined from which Service
the Attaché would come, his rank, and the nature of his expertise.
The procedure for selecting officers was straight forward. The
Services identified an officer to fill an Attaché billet and sent
the name to the Director, DIA. In consultation with the Attaché
office, the Director then approved or rejected the nominee. Occasionally,
the Director sent to the Services a request for a specific officer
to be an Attaché, but the Services decided whether or not they
would nominate the Director's choice.
CHRONOLOGY
1889
U.S. sent permanent military Attachés to London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, and
St. Petersburg. (By 1896, military Attachés were serving also in Rome, Madrid,
and Brussels.)
1918
U.S. had 24 military Attachés accredited to 28 capitals and 15 naval Attachés
to 18 capitals.
1927
U.S. assigned Major Reinberg, Air Corps as assistant military Attaché (and
air Attaché) to Prague, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and
Holland.
1934
U.S. accredited the naval Attaché to Rome as Naval Attaché for Air. 1936 U.S.
had 464 military and naval Attachés abroad.
1943
U.S. accredited military air Attachés as such.
1944
U.S. accredited Major Jepson, WAC, as an assistant military Attaché in London.
1945
U.S. had military Attachés in 45 capitals (38 of which had military air Attachés
and naval Attachés in 28).
1948
U.S. had 258 Army and Air Force officers on Attachéd duty in 59 countries and
120 naval officers in 43 countries.
1949
U.S. had 2049 personnel on Attaché duty; a Senior Attaché was designated for
each capital.
1950
U.S. Attachés were cut by 35%, and 36 posts were eliminated; totals were 1458.
1951
Executive agency system replaced the Senior Attaché system for logistical and
administrative functions.
1952
Executive agency system abandoned, and Services reassumed logistical and administrative
support for own Attachés.
1956
U.S. had 166 Attaché posts in 71 countries: 68 Army, 45 Navy, 53 Air Force;
total personnel.
1956
Sixty foreign countries had 121 Attachés in Washington: 57 Army, 32 Navy, 32
Air force.
1959
Nine pilot stations organized under executive agency principle, which was extended
to all in 1960.
1960
The Defense Department had 2090 Attaché personnel in 74 capitals.
1963
Attaché personnel reached a high of 2345.
1964
U.S. Attaché personnel reduced to 1936.
1965
Defense Attaché System established.
Compiled by the DIA History Office 1994
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