Limbert was held in the embassy until a failed rescue mission. Then hostages were sent to prisons, including one nicknamed the "Hitler Hilton."

"The physical conditions were pretty bad, but they weren't deliberately trying to kill us," said Limbert, who lost 25 pounds in captivity.

In honor of the former hostages, and the sacrifices of Foreign Service officers and their families, AFSA has placed yellow ribbons around its office, said Ian Houston, the executive director.

"It really is important for the American public to understand what our diplomats do," he said. "I think the American public could have a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices they make."

Laingen and Limbert, along with the other hostages, represent the sacrifice and risks that federal civilian employees take when they go overseas to serve their country. The hostages included Marines and CIA officers, whose sacrifices are no less important.

But what sets Foreign Service officers apart is their mission of diplomacy, and they go unarmed.

There is "very, very little" appreciation for the dangers that Foreign Service officers face, said Limbert, a former AFSA president. "That was our message not just to the public, but to our friends in Congress."

Here's something that Congress and President Obama didn't note when imposing the two-year federal pay freeze: Although the freeze excluded the military, it was imposed on Foreign Service officers who sometimes work side-by-side with soldiers in war zones.

But that apparently doesn't bother Limbert, who seems to be a diplomat in character as much as he is by profession. He doesn't like the idea of dividing Foreign Service officers into categories that would allow some to get a raise while others have their pay frozen. He also doesn't want to take anything away from those in uniform. "They have dirty and dangerous jobs," he said.

Limbert does find it odd that the attempt by former hostages "to get compensation has been opposed by our own government. . . . Our government and the Iranian government . . . don't agree on much," he said, "but why do they have to agree on this one thing?"

The State Department says it has no choice.

"As an essential condition of their release from captivity, the United States agreed in the Algiers Accords to withdraw its claim against Iran before the International Court of Justice and bar claims arising out of the hostage taking from U.S. courts," according to a department statement. "Although we understand their frustration, we are bound by this commitment and must continue to honor it."