SA DoD Directive in 1949 stated that, "Each Military Service is individually responsible for its own Attach 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 Attach 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 Attach 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 Attachs under DIA management, and the Services continued to manage, operate, and support their individual Attach systems. In March 1963, the few DIA responsibilities concerning Attach 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 Attachs, and coordinating Attach matters, particularly in programming new Attach posts with the State Department. The significance of the Attach function grew as a result of DIA involvement. The reasons for this were: 1) the greater emphasis on opening African Attach posts, 2) the enhanced role of Attachs in foreign security programs, 3) the expanded DIA role as coordinator on Attach matters with unified commands, and 4) the assumption of responsibility to review the Attach portion of the consolidated intelligence program and consolidated intelligence budget. Several problems existed with the control of Attachs 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 Attach 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 Attach in each foreign country to increase the efficiency of our Attach work at the embassies in which they serve. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and I will look to this Attach to supervise and coordinate the work of all U.S. Attachs 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 Attach 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 Attach posts. The Defense Attach 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 Attachs or assistant Attachs to foreign governments as well as other DoD personnel assigned to Attach 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 Attachs, Secretary of Defense McNamara charged DIA to develop a phased "Outline Plan" for a single Defense Attach 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 Attach System officially came under the Director of DIA for the purpose of providing administrative, personnel, and logistics support to the Defense Attach Offices. It was called the Defense Attach Detachment (DIAAD) with three branch-level activities titled according to its three-part mission. Furthermore, the Attach Branch (of the Human Resources Division, Collection Management Office, Assistant Directorate for Acquisition) was disestablished on 1 October 1965 and replaced by the Attach 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 Attach 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 Attach System was a logical outgrowth of the centralization of military intelligence functions in DIA. The Services initially objected to giving up control of the Attachs, primarily because protocol was a major function of the Attachs and allegedly would be lost should DIA assume this responsibility. In addition, the Services argued that much of the intelligence collected by the Attachs was particularly relevant to their unique needs and, thus, the Attachs 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 Attachs abroad and the Attachs' potential for collecting intelligence valuable to DIA served to override the Services' objections to relinquishing control. In spite of Service fears, the Attachs 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 Attachs established the selection criteria for the Attachs. It was often general in nature, and included language proficiency, good character, and a family that could assist the Attach in representing the U.S. abroad. In

addition, the Directorate determined from which Service the Attach 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 Attach billet and sent the name to the Director, DIA. In consultation with the Attach 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 Attach, but the Services decided whether or not they would nominate the Director's choice.

CHRONOLOGY
1889 U.S. sent permanent military Attachs to London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, and St. Petersburg. (By 1896, military Attachs were serving also in Rome, Madrid, and Brussels.) 1918 U.S. had 24 military Attachs accredited to 28 capitals and 15 naval Attachs to 18 capitals. 1927 U.S. assigned Major Reinberg, Air Corps as assistant military Attach (and air Attach) to Prague, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and Holland. 1934 U.S. accredited the naval Attach to Rome as Naval Attach for Air. 1936 U.S. had 464 military and naval Attachs abroad. 1943 U.S. accredited military air Attachs as such. 1944 U.S. accredited Major Jepson, WAC, as an assistant military Attach in London. 1945 U.S. had military Attachs in 45 capitals (38 of which had military air Attachs and naval Attachs in 28). 1948 U.S. had 258 Army and Air Force officers on Attachd duty in 59 countries and 120 naval officers in 43 countries. 1949 U.S. had 2049 personnel on Attach duty; a Senior Attach was designated for each capital. 1950 U.S. Attachs were cut by 35%, and 36 posts were eliminated; totals were 1458. 1951 Executive agency system replaced the Senior Attach system for logistical and administrative functions.

1952 Executive agency system abandoned, and Services reassumed logistical and administrative support for own Attachs. 1956 U.S. had 166 Attach posts in 71 countries: 68 Army, 45 Navy, 53 Air Force; total personnel. 1956 Sixty foreign countries had 121 Attachs 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 Attach personnel in 74 capitals. 1963 Attach personnel reached a high of 2345. 1964 U.S. Attach personnel reduced to 1936. 1965 Defense Attach System established.
http://www.dia.mil/history/features/defense-attaches/