Defense attachés serve as senior defense officials and are responsible for all DOD activities and personnel assigned to the Embassy of the country in which they serve. Here, Defense Attaché Col. Thomas Schaefer, right, and Assistant Air Attaché Lt. Col. David Roeder arrive at Andrews Air Force Base on Jan. 27, 1981, after being held hostage for 444 days by Iran. Schaefer was the most senior serviceman taken hostage.