Covert operations are shrouded in plausible deniability. Operatives must also go unnoticed, being able to blend into crowds and not draw attention. There are four primary battalions with various responsibilities being spread across them. Based on photos of ISA operatives and reasonable assumption, they are most likely to carry: For a unit like ISA, firearms are not its primary weapons. USSOCOM receives, reviews, coordinates and prioritizes all Defense Department plans that support the global campaign against terrorism. The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. Key was the requirement to develop a competent counter resolution force. The Cantor, busy writing, asked me how it went. If successful, the candidate would then continue training within ISA in such skills as parachuting, survival, weapons and intelligence gathering. 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 The ISAs execution of SIGINT monitoring was so successful that the month-long operation was extended to three years. Samuel is a King's College graduate with an MA in War Studies. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. Additionally, ISA operates a number of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and these pilots fit somewhere into the puzzle that is ISA. The amount of accurate and up-to-date information about the ISA is very small, due to the extremely high secrecy surrounding the unit, but over the years, various books and reports have gleamed some information about the ISA. Nowadays the ISA focuses on the preparation of the battlespace for military operations across the globe. 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. Before it operated under the name ISA, the group was referred to as the Field Operations Group (FOG). Originally the ISA operated as a tactical arm of the National Security Agency. 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Years before its actual formation, the need for the ISA, or an operational entity like it, was already being examined. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. Featured Book: Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era by Steven Emerson The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity ( USAISA ), frequently shortened to Intelligence Support Activity or ISA, and nicknamed The Activity is a United States Army Special Operations unit originally subordinated to the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM). Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. Check, chief! and she yanked the gat our of my hand. Some of the more well-documented operations of the ISA shed light on the general nature of the ISAs overall operations. In the summer of 1980, FOG agents were infiltrated into Teheran to report back on the hostages' whereabouts, movements of the Iranians, as well as to recruit local agents. The most important thing to know is that intelligence drives "direct action" operations. ". Bickering between the CIA and JSOC further complicated matters. Wickham did transfer authority to the ACSI with predictable and less than beneficial results. 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). 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. Two task forces of JSOC took part in the search and rescue operations, Delta Force and a detachment of the ISA. Operation Anaconda highlights how vital of a role the ISA plays in the battlespace. Working closely with Special Forces and the CIA, Gray Fox also places operatives inside hostile territory. 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. One problem that plagued the first attempt was the lack of valuable intelligence. By the time though, the situation had begun to subside. It later took on other roles like SIGINT as battlefield requirements changed over time. There's a lot of fascinating special operation history in the Netflix thriller "Lou," but going into details would reveal Jason McCarthy of goruck.com and Stew Smith discuss his journey to, through, and after Army Special Forces and being Copyright 2023 Military.com. Guerrilla insurgents in Nicaragua composed only one part of the multitude of threats facing the US With cartels all over South America creating chaos for pro-US forces, Pablo Escobar and his cartel were the targets of several US government agencies and departments, including the ISA. The mandarins decided they were much too tired and sleepy to unload their car to safekeep all of their sensitive items in the house with them. Special Air Service (SAS) | Its budget would be carefully concealed so that it never made a paper trail, and only a dozen officials would know the names and locations of all of ISA's agents and safehouses. A simultaneous raid on the targets was to be made. The following article on the Intelligence Support Activity was copied from Specwarnet.net online. Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. The unit's history, the politics that have shaped it and the operations it has carried out are recounted in great and fascinating detail. The situation quickly worsened, until officials in the US embassy were in genuine concern for their lives, so much that the ambassador cabled for immediate help. "Perhaps the least known, and most classified unit within the realm of US special operations is the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), a small, highly trained and capable intelligence unit. "The government realized the importance of the FOG. Afghanistan: The Fox and The Anaconda. ISA focuses on gathering human intelligence based on contact with field agents, and signals intelligence (intercepted communications) to support Delta Force and DEVGRU operations. The selection process and training for special operations groups are secret. "Gray Fox's low-profile eavesdropping planes also fly without military markings. It is tasked to collect actionable intelligence in advance of missions by other US special operations forces . Delta's deployment was stalled by bureaucratic dealings, so ISA mobilized its most compartmentalized unit, the direct action element, the shooters. "In 1981, the Central Intelligence Agency, along with a covert helicopter unit, Seaspray, was involved in the secret transport of Lebanese Christian leader Bashir Gemayel back to Beirut after a round of secret talks with the President Ronald Reagan. The selection process for the ISA prioritizes both a physical skill for field operations and a skill for intelligence operations. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. The aim of the operation was to monitor cross-border raids and movements of Sandinista forces and rebels in El Salvador. With the expansion, the FOG has renamed the ISA and officially established as a unit on January 29th, 1981. More technical training on SIGINT, such as transmission and signals interpretation is also a component of the training. His areas of focus are extremism in the Western world, military privatization and the impact of climate change on global security. I didnt think a thing of it, as it had taken me a while to throw that lock open on my first few tries. Initially, the raid appeared to be a bust until a Delta operator kicked some debris on exfil. 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. 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. The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), frequently shortened to Intelligence Support Activity or ISA, and nicknamed The Activity, is a United States Army Special Operations unit originally subordinated to the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM). Stationed in the fifth floor of the American embassy, and operating from specially outfitted Beechcraft 300 and 350 aircraft, Centra Spike tracked Escobar around the country. Centra Spike agents operated all around Colombia, as well as neighbouring countries where the cartels influence extended. ISA was asked to form an Algerian-based plan and a Beirut-based one for rescue. ". _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21361708-1']); One selection exercise involved dropping a candidate off in the desert without food, water or means of communication. In short order, Langley provided people, training, and a conduit to its various intelligence and planning aspects. They must maintain a demeanour of trustworthiness and calmness, so any approached HUMINT sources feel safe and trusted. Distinctive Unit Insignia of the US Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), Task Force Orange; the Intelligence Support Activity; The Activity; the Army of Northern Virginia; the Field Operations Group (FOG); the United States Army Intelligence Support Activity, or just shortened to Intelligence Support Activity (USISA). The SEALs, SAS, and SBS added additional capabilities over time, responding to the needs of modern conflict. Get the weekly email from Grey Dynamics that makes reading intel articles and reports actually enjoyable. Since that time the unit reports to Special Operations Command or SOCOM in Tampa Florida, United States. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. The support provided can come in a range of different forms. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. When hostages were taken in the Tehran embassy in 1980, it became clear that FOG needed to become a larger group with more resources. Grey Dynamics is a Private Intelligence firm based out of London with analysts, researchers, and investigators worldwide. And with that our boss, the Cantor, doled out a mission for a two-man team of mandarins. 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The ISA differs from its brother and sister task forces in that it is not primarily a combat-oriented team, excelling in HUMINT and SIGINT operations that allow it to provide extremely valuable intelligence to other military elements. The moronic mandarins merely blinked and nothing more. Their unique abilities are called upon when other special operations forces have not been able to complete their mission due to a gap in intelligence. (Source). US Army Special Forces | Typically the ISA pulls from the Green Berets due to their prior special operations experience, language skills, and autonomy. Killing Pablo by Mark Bowden While Delta and DEVGRU focus on direct engagement and specialized combat tactics, the ISA conducts intelligence and espionage operations at a tactical level. When government officials found out, they were horrified, they seemed to have a rogue agency within its ranks. Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. The Intelligence Support Activity, commonly called "The Activity" . _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); It was a body of men and women first sent to Japan to study Ninjitzu, then on to Chinas Shao Lin Temple to study Kung Fu, then finally to Iran to study the ways of the Immortals under the former King of the Persian Empire, Xerxes the Great. Gaining entry into the ISA is not easy; candidates already must be part of a special operations forces group. This was the birth of the Field Operations Group (FOG)-later ISA/Secret Army of Northern Virginia. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. Had the force been aware of the actual hostage location and situation, the force could have continued past Desert One and probably succeeded. The unit has been under command of the US Army but some time after September 11th 2001 command was placed under direct control of the Joint Special Operations Command or JSOC at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States. As the name implies, SIGINT Squadron is responsible for ISAs signals intelligence mission. In 1979 the need for a dedicated special operations intelligence unit was solidified following the overthrowing of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. 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. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. Small Wars Journal is published by Small Wars Foundation - a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. 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INSCOM's functional brigades and groups may provide general support, general support reinforcing, or direct sup-port to theaters through intelligence reach, or they may be Things became more complicated though, as the airplane took on more terrorists and weapons on one of its hops to Beirut, and Algerian authorities refused Delta permission to mount a rescue on their soil. Candidates then are put through a battery of assessment and selection courses as well as background checks and psychological testing. The US Department of Defense has defined direct action as "Short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover, or damage designated targets. Both the CSA and the Director understood that each offered something the other did not and that together, a much better response capability could be generateda point that POTUS emphasized through the National Security Council to both. They began forming their own plan for storming the airplane and liberating the hostages. 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. 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. Escobar was shot as he was trying to escape from the roof of his house. During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. 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. Well, ok we arrived at just around 1630hrs and the mandarin began. 25: More Chinese Ferry Tales: China's Use of Civilian Shipping in Military Activities, 2021-2022, Hospital Ships: A Vital Asset for SOUTHCOM and South American Navies, The Goshen Massacre and the Specter of Cartel Spillover Into the US, Dangerous Alliances: Russias Strategic Inroads in Latin America, Year Ahead Emerging Technologies and the Collection of Battlefield Evidence, How Does Matter Matter In International Conflict and Security? 8 years' rapidly progressive experience with US Army and a DoD Contractor 4 years in direct support of conventional intelligence units 3 deployments in support of a SOF Task Force. ISA operatives are highly skilled in the various arts of HUMINT gathering including: (Source). During the 1990's the unit was known as Capacity Gear. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. This is how we block. These operatives have a cover in the commercial sector, typically as an international businessperson. Special Operations (SO) encompass the use of small units in direct or indirect military actions focused on strategic or operational objectives. US Navy SEALs | Rather than disbanding the unit, it was expanded. (Source). (Source). . (Source). Support Veteran Journalism . The simple plan called for pipe-hitters to deploy from the states and set up an ambush at a blind S-curve along the generals route. A top-secret 'Army electronic surveillance team', was sent to aid the Colombians in August of 1989, as a part of Operation Heavy Shadow. 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. Additionally, conceal meant can be a factor in weapon selection too. The Cantor finally said something, and he said it very very loudly when the mandarins lost control of some weapons and encrypted radios. In all cases, the Congressional members voiced support. This page was last edited on 1 April 2008, at 06:57. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. SIGINT operations extended to areas with overlapping guerrilla operations, such as Nicaragua, which was facing the increased foe of the Contras. Killer Elite The third known squadron is the Mission Support Squadron. The rapidly deteriorating situation in the country prompted the United States to create a small Special Forces unit with the purpose of surveying the US embassy. With dramatis personae that include the CIA, Delta Force, DEVGRU, the Intelligence Support Activity, Pakistani Commandos, the Taliban, and spies from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI), this story has the makings of a future Brad Thor bestseller. Gen Meyer demurred on the request, citing the several parts of the world where Army FOG personnel were actively supporting SOF elements, the Agency, and CINC. They acquainted themselves with the layout and landmarks of the city for future reference. Along with reviewing the security and organization again, ISA was also tasked with formulating plans for reprisals against the Syrians who had shot down two US fighters. They were so adept that observers commented they could literally pluck information from the air, speaking not only to the revolutionary use of SIGINT but also the skill of the ISA. Stew Smith and Jeff Nichols discuss the new testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T/E) used at BUDS to deter use Abigail Spanberger spent almost a decade as a CIA operations officer. 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 troop tackles the extremely difficult target countries like Syria which had a sophisticated counterintelligence network. The survey was successful, which led defense officials to create ad hoc Special Forces units to survey US embassies in hotspots around the world. Delta Force and SEAL Team Six were scrambled in preparation to liberate the hostages if needed, as the airplane hopped back and forth from Beirut to Algiers. US Air Force Pararescue | 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. In the aftermath, the FOG was hard at work gathering intelligence in Iran in preparation for Operation Credible Sport, the second attempt to rescue the hostages. Or these operatives can clone a cellphone, allowing them to send and receive communications to and from the phone from a remote locations. To operatorsnot so much. They are called upon to perform the toughest duties in the armed forces, and their actions directly affect the protection of America's freedom. "On December 17, 1981, Colonel James Dozier, the highest ranking American army officer in the NATO southern European Command was kidnapped by members of the Red Brigade terrorist faction. Delta Force | The Department of Defense in 1965 outlined its need to be more involved with collecting intelligence, supported by Robert McNamara. (Source). Hostages were dispersed around Beirut and those with Jewish sounding names were being isolated. The plan involved flying feet above the turbulent Mediterranean Sea, at night, through hostile airspace. Me, I dont like to be on the delivery end of harsh criticism; however, I do find that whole situation with the mandarins to be just ever so slightly south of sensational, and fairly fundamentally novice! A team of mandarins was tasked with blocking traffic in the same fashion on the south side of the ambush site, then with following the assault force north to provide rearguard to the convoy. The DCS, G-2 is the Director of the Operational Environment Enterprise (OEE) and author of the Army's approved current Operational Environment (OE). 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. The operation, code-named Great Falcon, made a deal with the Iraqi government for a T-72, in exchange for 175mm cannons. As with both the establishment of JSOC, TF160/SOAR and Ranger SOF, the task was not easy. Come again, Cantor? I was trying to make him look at me while he repeated that last instruction. Law and the killing of a Russian propagandist: Some Q & A BY CHARLIE DUNLAP, J.D. That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. Spec Ops Profile: Intelligence Support Activity, Paris Davis, Black Green Beret in Vietnam, Finally Awarded Medal of Honor at White House, Navy SEAL Dies in Parachute Mishap, 4th Training Death in 14 Months, Special Operations Commander Fired After Being Arrested for Alleged Drunk Driving, Hit and Run, 8 Fun Facts About the USO to Celebrate Its Birthday. 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'). (Source), Under the operational codename Centra Spike, the Intelligence Support Activity operated alongside CIA and local police elements to track down Escobar. The order never came; a secret arms-for-hostages deal was cut by the American government. The mission criteria were pretty simple: we would fail our mission if we missed reporting the generals car, or if we allowed someone to get around our blocking position and into the ambush site. [2] Unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance and direct action roles have merged throughout the decades and are typically performed primarily by the same units.

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