Initially, the raid appeared to be a bust until a Delta operator kicked some debris on exfil. The planners in DAMO-ODSO were acutely aware of the different legal authorities contained in Title 10 and Title 50 statutes. ISA has gone by many names over the years but its current one is not public knowledge. There was a task I did for the Cantor routinely and at a moments notice. SIGINT operations extended to areas with overlapping guerrilla operations, such as Nicaragua, which was facing the increased foe of the Contras. According to The Secret War by William M. Arkin, published in the Los Angeles Times on October 27, 2002, "The Army created a highly compartmentalized organization that could collect clandestine intelligence independent of the rest of the U.S. intelligence community and follow through with covert military action. We locked the chain back up behind it and returned to base. These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. The Intelligence Support Activity conducts its operations during and in advance of US military operations. Lawyers for both Titles within the respective DOD and CIA bureaucracies, fought to preserve their interpretations of applications, to prevent one department from intruding into the territory of the other. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. This is a potentially significant compromise. the Cantor lamented in earnest. The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators. Law and the killing of a Russian propagandist: Some Q & A BY CHARLIE DUNLAP, J.D. He tasked them to install a clandestine video camera (clandcam) framed such that it would record all the license plates of all vehicles turning down a specifically designated road. The trials of the ISA in Queens Hunter were not the only time the team was tested in South America. "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in 1981, this unit fought in drug wars and counter-terror operations from the Middle East to South America. If they would have been caught, they were done. SMU operator (on ISA breaking into an Al-Qaeda safehouse), Additionally, HUMINT operatives working deep undercover will sometimes work in male-female teams. (Source), Additionally, the ISA has acted as a pseudo-security element for the CIA. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. Being highly proficient in the collection of HUMINT and SIGINT has made them a very effective, yet specifically dedicated, intelligence task force. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. Traditions (religious, political, societal). One of their major tasks was to create 'pathfinders'. Intelligence Support Activity The Army's most obscure special-ops unit is the roughly 300-strong Intelligence Support Activity, formed in 1981, which has gone by various codenames over. and direct action combat. Unit Profile. To this point, the CIA and the DOD followed separate independent paths as defined by statutes contained in Title 10 (DOD authorities) and Title 50 (Intelligence agency authorities). The ISA is perhaps the most major outlier doctrinally from its other, better known, counterparts within JSOC and SOCOM as a whole. Operators from the unit entered Nicaragua using false passports, and proceeded to photograph the embassy from every angle, record the types of locks on all doors, inside and outside, record the number of exits and windows, and finally drew up the internal layout of the building. (Source). Authors cartoon depicting the mandarins installing the soon-to-be compromised surveillance camera. It is known that the unit has changed its codename over . "Currently, ISA is believed to be under control of JSOC, and published accounts have it organized into administration, training, SIGINT, HUMINT and direct action elements. If some elements (especially photos) were originally yours please consider Specwar.info to host for free. During the operation, a rivalry developed between Centra Spike, and a CIA intelligence unit named Majestic Eagle. This Army Special Operations unit, goes by many names, which is indicative of the various activities, functions and environments performed by these operators. These operatives have a cover in the commercial sector, typically as an international businessperson. Talk about close target recce. Thats pretty frickin ballsy. Two people with a lockpick kit and a camera. And with that our boss, the Cantor, doled out a mission for a two-man team of mandarins. Under the US Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service, there is a Special Activities Division to operate without apparent national identification for plausible deniability. Candidates pulled from computer records, or by word of mouth were required to pass a tough selection course, physical and psychological tests. The TRADOC DCS, G-2 develops, describes, and delivers the OE in order to support the Army's preparations to fight and win the nation's wars. The Cantor, busy writing, asked me how it went. Special Operations Forces: Gaining entry into the ISA is not easy; candidates already must be part of a special operations forces group. Be sure to get the latest news about the U.S. military, as well as critical info about how to join and all the benefits of service. It is not certain that ISA operators were on the scene at the moment of his capture, but the operational intelligence provided was critical to the success of the operation. Both sides would work together on developing the intel, and then a decision would be made regarding a specific operational tasking to avoid statutory conflict. Every component of the US military was involved in the Invasion of Afghanistan, including the ISA. In 2003 the CIA and ISA conducted a joint operation in Somalia. . This includes Clandestine operations, but not those which are Covert. The U.S. Army Intelligence Support Activity (ISA) is a special operations unit that collects "actionable" intelligence in preparation for activities by other special operations units, particularly those related to counter-terrorism missions. Working closely with Special Forces and the CIA, Gray Fox also places operatives inside hostile territory. The mission support teams help actualize the other major goal of supporting other forces in a battlespace. Each of these groups achieves different specialised tasks for their assigned mission. As with both the establishment of JSOC, TF160/SOAR and Ranger SOF, the task was not easy. He seemed equally satisfied when they reported the next morning that the clandcam was up and recording and that they would have the product with them when they returned the next morning. 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! Ironically, the embassy in Iran was on their itinerary, but, history intervened, and it was overrun by a mob who took the larger part of the staff hostage. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ . The U.S. Army's Intelligence Support Activity is arguably the most secretive unit out of the five tier one units in the United States Military. ISA was highly classified. "Apparently, ISA's direct action element was also put on alert during the hijacking of the Italian cruise ship, Achille Lauro. Unfortunately, the hostages were dispersed throughout the country, and the chance never came for a second attempt, but the seeds were planted for the Intelligence Support Activity. Though its history is relatively brief and known missions it has undertaken even briefer, it has become one of the most interesting and influential special operations groups at the disposal of JSOC and the US military. 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"When the first rescue attempt of the hostages in Iran failed, a second attempt, code-named Honey Badger, immediately started. Nonetheless, it is known that these operators have shown their indispensable worth to both the intelligence and SOF communities in matters of national security, supporting Delta and SEAL Team Six operations by hitting the ground first to prep the environment: gathering actionable intelligence, pathfinding, and performing a broad range of operational support. Since incorporating under JSOC in 2003, Gray Fox has expanded into direct action and hostage rescue, showing that they may be the most diversely equipped, trained and adaptable Special Missions Unit in the SOF community. The selection process for the ISA prioritizes both a physical skill for field operations and a skill for intelligence operations. Developed hunt methodology for Albuquerque-based Counter Human Traffic organization DeliverFund llc as an Intelligence Analyst and Network Disruption Team Leader in the Get The Daily Situation. I delivered the unemotional skinny to the Cantor who neither commented nor looked up from his work. The ISA has gone by many name: Intelligence Support Activity or Mission Support Activity, and nicknamed The Activity, Task Force Orange . The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. "Also in 1982, an ISA team was sent to Sudan to provide protection to Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry and his vice president. The next morning arrived, but the moping mandarins came empty-handed: Ok, give me a rundown on the entire operation starting from when you arrived at the install site.. LTG Odom acquiesced but took every opportunity to oppose actions engaging his traditional intelligence elements. US Army Special Forces | But it had no effect on me or what I was doing not for now at least. All Rights Reserved. geo sends. We provided documents for viewing from both the Agency and DOD lawyers supporting the organization and outlining the rationale. Intelligence Support Activity - Role The Activity's primary role is to gather actionable intelligence in order to pave the way for special operations undertook by units such as Delta Force (known as 'operational preparation of the battlespace'). The team put together a detailed critique and proposed changes to the organization of the forces, but the document was ignored by the higher officials insisting that security was adequate. Bravo and Delta troops utilize commercial or non-official cover. Eliciting information from select sources, The exploitation of documents, media and materials. They also have direct action elements within their battalions, alongside specialists in HUMINT and SIGINT. The decision was made to deploy another ISA unit. Army did likewise through DAMO-ODSO. Ultimately, Operation Credible Sport was cancelled but the FOG had proven its usefulness. All the tools you need to an in-depth Intelligence Support Activity Self-Assessment. A top-secret 'Army electronic surveillance team', was sent to aid the Colombians in August of 1989, as a part of Operation Heavy Shadow. As a result, ISA was almost disbanded, but Army officials succeeded in ensuring its survival, albeit on a much tighter leash. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. . Some units specialize in it, such as the Navy SEALs and 75th Ranger Regiment, and other units, such as US Army Special Forces, have DA capabilities but focus more on other operations. Typically the ISA pulls from the Green Berets due to their prior special operations experience, language skills, and autonomy. Feeling the working end of my pick with my fingers I could tell that it was destroyed; the neck had a corkscrew twist in it and it was staved to shit. An ISA technician with a SATCOM was provided for the operation to aid in the tracking. "When TWA Flight 847 was hijacked on June 14, 1985, America's counter-terrorist forces went on full alert. var _gaq = _gaq || []; While driving through northern Lebanon, Cowan and his mates suffered several close calls with Syrian roadblocks and patrols. Dozier was taken hostage and mistreated, with the Red Brigades viewing him as an ideological foe that needed to be made an example of. The Activity grew out of the need for specialized intel support for US Special Operations that was highlighted by the failed US attempt to rescue American hostages from Iran in 1980. The United States realized that insufficient intelligence gathering was the critical point of failure in our attempt to rescue the American hostages and that there was a gap between the Intelligence and Special Operations communities. Landing zones were established, Lebanese militias contacted for help, and plans formulated for a commando force. For the four main battalions, numbering in total over 300 operators, there are different roles members could fall into. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. Additionally, ISA operates a number of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and these pilots fit somewhere into the puzzle that is ISA. Their role is to bridge the gaps when it is simply too dangerous for other agencies to put boots on the ground, and as these gaps change in every operational environment, so too do their responsibilities and activities. However, the ISA intercepted Iraqi communications that corroborated intelligence collected from his family members. "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in . The Pentagon frequently disavows knowledge regarding their activities or even their existence, and they've been given different names multiple times to misdirect any probes into their identity or activities. find out more According to The Secret War by William M. Arkin, published in the Los Angeles Times on October 27, 2002, "The Army created a highly compartmentalized organization that could collect clandestine intelligence independent of the rest of the U.S. intelligence community and follow through with covert military action. In addition to covert operations, it provides the war on terrorism with the kind of so-called 'close-in' signals monitoring -- including the interception of cell phone conversations -- that helped bring down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. (Source), The ISAs selection and training is geared towards intelligence specialisation despite conducting occasional direct engagement. (Source). Tools like radios, computers and lockpicks are much more crucial to the success of its missions. Direct action differs from conventional offensive actions in the level of physical and political risk, operational techniques, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force to achieve specific objectives."[1]. During the 1990's the unit was known as Capacity Gear. World conditions in the early 1980s suggested that some capability was required to address the ambiguous conflicts of each Title authority into some form of credible operational capability. "In and around Afghanistan, Gray Fox was part of a secret sphere that included the CIA's paramilitary Special Activities Division and the Pentagon's Joint Special Operations Command. US Navy SEALs | The SEALs, SAS, and SBS added additional capabilities over time, responding to the needs of modern conflict. The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 operators on the loose? Special Operations Forces are the elite commandos of the U.S. military. HUMINT-related activities at the Department of Defense and Defense Intelligence Agency level, subsequent to the disestablishment of the DHS, included continued issuance of DoD directives or instructions governing elements of HUMINT operations - including those concerning human source validation ( Document 44 ), creation of the since Two task forces of JSOC took part in the search and rescue operations, Delta Force and a detachment of the ISA. Once admitted, candidates must pass the operations training course, which teaches infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. The raid was cancelled over fears that the French and Italians tipped Karadzic off. ISA operators were said to be so skilled that they could tell whether a tank needed a tune-up from background noise of transmissions. ISA recommended covert deployment of its operatives to both airports to secure landing zones and infiltration routes. The unit's missions range from Latin America, fighting communist guerrillas and drugs barons, to Africa, the Middle East and central Asia, tracking down terrorists. They were never used. Understanding all the following is necessary for successful infiltration: (Source). "The ISA's origins are in the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), whose origin in turn is in the 1979 overthrow of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. These techniques include intelligence gathering, infiltration and intelligence support. While Delta and DEVGRU focus on direct engagement and specialized combat tactics, the ISA conducts intelligence and espionage operations at a tactical level. Given the nature of their operations and the close work and training they receive alongside other US special operations forces, much of their equipment is likely to mimic that of the special mission units they support and work alongside. Come again, Cantor? I was trying to make him look at me while he repeated that last instruction. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), frequently shortened to Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), also known at various times as Joint Reconnaissance Evaluation Group (JREG), Mission Support Activity (MSA), Office of Military Support (OMS), Field Operations Group (FOG), Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), Tactical Centra Spike was withdrawn in 1993 for a temporary assignment in Somalia to aid US special forces there, but resumed the hunt later in the year. Special Air Service (SAS) | The most important thing to know is that intelligence drives "direct action" operations. On the one occasion where he accompanied DSCOPS representatives to the Hill for a closed classified session regarding FOG activities, he voiced his concern regarding management, where the Committee Chairman, in plain, but polite language, told him that the Committee was satisfied with the arrangements. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. Now, shes a third-term Virginia congresswoman. ISA operators would infiltrate either Beirut or Algiers on commercial flights to avoid tipping off the terrorists or the authorities. ISA members conducted extensive interviews with Special Forces members in the country, Lebanese Army and CIA and embassy officials. That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. 2e Rgiment tranger de Parachutistes | Both were doing the same thing in Colombia, except Centra Spike was doing a better job, at a much lower cost. The support provided can come in a range of different forms. The examples and perspective in this article, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Joint Publication 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms", United States Army Special Operations Command, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Direct_action_(military)&oldid=1081847487, This page was last edited on 10 April 2022, at 01:40. Lets just settle on Gray Fox for now, as these operators fill in the gray area between Title 50 intelligence gathering and Title 10 unconventional warfare operations. In 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the American invasion of Panama, ISA proposed to deploy a team of its intelligence agents to track Manuel Noriega, but the offer was declined. The web portal tool will maintain a repository of all INSCOM and non -INSCOM US Army Rangers | On the ground, these operatives can use a directional antenna programmed to pick up a specific cellphones signal, even if it was turned off, providing Delta Force with a target building to raid. Both Army and the Agency recognized the changed nature of the world and the requirements of the emerging terrorist/hostage issues. Intelligence Support Activity The Army's most obscure special-ops unit is the roughly 300-strong Intelligence Support Activity, formed in 1981, which has gone by various codenames over the years. But what if I dont need signal intercept and intelligence gathering support for my mission?, Look, Geo theyre here, theyre queer, and theyd like so say hello just deal with it because theyre not going away. The ISA consistently attaches itself to other units, either as a temporary or more permanent component. Intelligence Support Activity The Army's most obscure special-ops unit is the roughly 300-strong Intelligence Support Activity, formed in 1981, which has gone by various codenames over the years. And now somebody SOMEBODY knows that somebody is recording all the cars turning down that specific road. Good enough, I thought. The third known squadron is the Mission Support Squadron. They skillfully pushed the car down the dirt driveway and out onto the hardball road a-ways where they could hot-wire and start the car without being heard by the slumbering princesses in the safe house. Gen Meyer, Gen Vaught (DAMO-OD), and LTC Jim Longhofer (DAMO-ODSO), traveled to Langley and met with the new Director and his operational elements director. Green Berets are considered unique from other special operators for various reasons, most . This Intelligence Support Activity All-Inclusive Self-Assessment enables You to be that person. A DOD lawyer was assigned to the development planning, and Col Jerry King (MG Vaught's Chief of Staff for the Iran JTF) became the first head of the FOG. The US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. Sadly, the team's evaluation did not serve to upgrade American security standards, and a truck bomb exploded from within 40 feet of the embassy entrance later that year. US intelligence gathering methods centre around the US intelligence process, composed of the phases Plan, Prepare, Collect, Process, and Produce. Support Veteran Journalism . Delta troop is tasked with countries that are a softer target for infiltration such as the Philippines or Morocco. Mission. Later that same year, Delta Force and ISA operators were sent to Saudi Arabia to help organize and train a Special Purpose Detachment of the Saudi National Guard. Like many special operations groups, their active arsenal is not likely a small rigid loadout, it is a range of various weapons that are available to suit the units needs. It was Delta Forces first mission and a horrific failure. When hostages were taken in the Tehran embassy in 1980, it became clear that FOG needed to become a larger group with more resources. Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. If an operative is in a country with an official cover, possessing a firearm can mean being sent to prison or death. They discovered there was no co-ordination between them, and vital information regarding terrorist attacks was not being shared. _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.specwar.info']); (Source) Operatives must not look out of placeor easily recognizable. Though its freelance tendencies were curbed, the ISA continued to operate under different guises through the ill-starred U.S. involvement in Somalia in 1992 and was reportedly active in the hunt for Bosnian Serbs suspected of war crimes. (Source) Once the safe house was located, using a mixture of SIGINT, GEOINT and HUMINT, a raid was initiated. Get the weekly email from Grey Dynamics that makes reading intel articles and reports actually enjoyable. (Source). For a Tier 1 group dedicated primarily to intelligence collection and support, the equipment of the ISA cannot be completely verified, nor can any weapons or equipments continued use be verified. The exact makeup of ISAs force structure is hard to determine. Special Operations (SO) encompass the use of small units in direct or indirect military actions focused on strategic or operational objectives. Almost simultaneously, another truck bomb exploded in the French barracks, killing 56. Bickering between the CIA and JSOC further complicated matters. He had literally tried to muscle open the lock with tools designed for a sincerely delicate operation. The ISA comprises 5 primary elements: administration, training, SIGINT, HUMINT and direct action. "In 1984, political instability swept through the Seychelles, a group of islands off the coast of Africa. [2] Unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance and direct action roles have merged throughout the decades and are typically performed primarily by the same units. On Gen Meyer's departure, his successor, John Wickham, attempted to disband the unit, but Jack Marsh, in his role as ASD SO/LIC prevented it, and required it be retained, and resourced. The Intelligence Support Activitys operations in El Salvador, under Operation Queens Hunter, demonstrated the effectiveness of the newly founded squadrons mastery of SIGINT and cross-departmental cooperation.
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