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Originally the unit was known as the Field Operations Group or FOG and was designed to fill the Armys need for clandestine intelligence collection. His areas of focus are extremism in the Western world, military privatization and the impact of climate change on global security. The Joint Special Operations Command and the frequently-renamed Intelligence Support Activity are similar units. Unless you plan to body-check those cars I would junk up.. Traditions (religious, political, societal). 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. Most officials disliked the unit's head, Jerry King, and thus, JSOC did not send the unit in. The vast majority of the ISAs operations in Afghanistan are still classified. He had literally tried to muscle open the lock with tools designed for a sincerely delicate operation. . As an ancillary, but crucial action during this period, LTC Bruce Mauldin and I, with the CSAs concurrence and support, visited the Hill and had several closed-door sessions with appropriate committee Chairs and Ranking Members regarding the unit's establishment, roles and missions, and funding lines. 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. 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 force is supposedly around 250-275 operators, who excel in intelligence gathering, languages and electronic surveillance. This extra length concealed the main eavesdropping antennas, while others could be lowered from the belly while in flight. This is how we block. and direct action combat. If an operative is in a country with an official cover, possessing a firearm can mean being sent to prison or death. SIGINT operations extended to areas with overlapping guerrilla operations, such as Nicaragua, which was facing the increased foe of the Contras. For instance, while US Army Special Forces were originally created for unconventional warfare (UW) missions and gradually added other capabilities, the US Navy SEALs, and the UK Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS) continue to perform a primary DA role with special reconnaissance (SR) as original missions. 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. (Source). Direct action (military) - Wikipedia 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. Kay-Kay and I sat at a table jamming some 12 magazines and chatting over our actions at our blocking position. As previously mentioned, its members cross train with the CIA, Americas most comprehensive civilian intelligence agency. An investigation by journalist Mark Bowden (author of Blackhawk Down) revealed that in 1989, the Colombian government asked for US help in tracking down Escobar. Small Wars Journal is published by Small Wars Foundation - a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. 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. ISA. It was Delta Forces first mission and a horrific failure. 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 Headquarters element of ISA is located in Fort Belvoir, VA but the squadrons and supporting elements are scattered across the Maryland/D.C./Virginia area. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. They marked secret infiltration routes and bases American forces could use if they were ever sent into the country. It has since changed names several times to avoid media publicity, having been alternately known as the Tactical Concept Activity, the Tactical Coordination Detachment, the Tactical Support Team, and the Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), among other designations. 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. 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. Prior to Saddams capture, over 40 members of his family were captured and interrogated to determine his whereabouts with little success. "When the first rescue attempt of the hostages in Iran failed, a second attempt, code-named Honey Badger, immediately started. 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The unit is organized into several elements. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: The Activity is thought to made up of around 300 operators and is under the command of JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command). It was provided with a cover name, Tactical Concept Activity, and would never be acknowledged by the Pentagon. As such, the activities and specifics of Gray Fox are not widely made available. (Source). It was the type of mission ISA was designed for, but no agents were sent in. Centra Spike was known to operate under several cover names, including Torn Victor, Cemetery Wind, Capacity Gear and Robin Court, and closely matched ISA's description. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. (Dominique Sumner and Peter Tomich). Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); 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. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. It is common for the appearance and demeanour of an agent to be the key to their success as an infiltrator. (Source), Active operational support is also a crucial role of the ISA. The CIA would talk directly to the warlords while the ISA provided SIGINT support and ground security for them. Highly detailed knowledge of an infiltration location is also key. Additionally, conceal meant can be a factor in weapon selection too. 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 unit's history, the politics that have shaped it and the operations it has carried out are recounted in great and fascinating detail. 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 Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era by Steven Emerson Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. 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'). These members function as case officers. This site uses cookies. As such discussing their capabilities is frowned upon. The most elite special operations forces in the US Grey Dynamics is a Private Intelligence firm based out of London with analysts, researchers, and investigators worldwide. (Source) Once the safe house was located, using a mixture of SIGINT, GEOINT and HUMINT, a raid was initiated. The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. Intelligence Support Activity > Service branch: Army > Also known as: Gray Fox, ISA, USISA, The Activity . Cowan and another ISA agent managed to drive through every sector of Beirut, even the Shiite suburb, a dangerous practice at the time. 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. The planners in DAMO-ODSO were acutely aware of the different legal authorities contained in Title 10 and Title 50 statutes. However, our personal favorite is a toss-up between Cemetery Wind and Gray Fox. The FOG was re-named the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), and given an initial budget of $7 million. US Army Intelligence Support Activity (ISA) | Specwar.info The specialists, nicknamed 'knob turners' operated sophisticated electronic eavesdropping equipment located in the back cabin of specially-outfitted Seaspray Beechcraft 100 airplanes. There are four primary battalions with various responsibilities being spread across them. (Source). 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. A simultaneous raid on the targets was to be made. (Source). Get the weekly email from Grey Dynamics that makes reading intel articles and reports actually enjoyable. Why America's Special Forces Are so Unique and Deadly Under the umbrella group of Joint Special Operations Task Force 20, the Intelligence Support Activity helped track down and locate Saddam Hussein. Highly recommended. The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators. 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 (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. 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. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. They discovered there was no co-ordination between them, and vital information regarding terrorist attacks was not being shared. The most important thing to know is that intelligence drives "direct action" operations. 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]. 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. Law and the killing of a Russian propagandist: Some Q & A BY CHARLIE DUNLAP, J.D. The U.S. Army's Special Operations Forces Explained The ISA team left Beirut in January 1984. ISA agents even managed to obtain Lebanese license plates, which would allow Delta to be parachuted in with their own cars, then 'legitimized' with the plates. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. (Source). and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. Unfortunately, the police were either heavily corrupted or unwilling to arrest Escobar, and the intelligence went to waste. Funding was to be a joint undertaking. 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). Operatives tradecraft for avoiding detection is impeccable. . PDF (U) Results in Brief - U.S. Department of Defense The unit exists in an altered form today, but it is an example as to how the USG can effectively mix Title 10 and 50 rules to achieve a common end and how conventional bureaucracies can stifle needed imaginative resolutions. "The government realized the importance of the FOG. 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. How do you guys block?, I dont know how you guys operate. Intelligence Support Activity A Complete Guide - 2020 Edition The separation did not fit real world requirements which was finally recognized in the aftermath of the failed Iran rescue. During the period leading up to the engagement, as well as potentially during the infamous Battle of Takur Ghar (aka the Battle of Roberts Ridge), ISA operators conducted aggressive SIGINT operations, intercepting enemy communications and feeding them to allied forces. The manhunt was over. Wickham did transfer authority to the ACSI with predictable and less than beneficial results. They were never used. At one point during the Global War on Terror, ISA along with a component from the Airforce and Delta began to build a fleet of ISR aircraft. If some elements (especially photos) were originally yours please consider Specwar.info to host for free. Authors cartoon depicting the mandarins installing the soon-to-be compromised surveillance camera. As the name implies, SIGINT Squadron is responsible for ISAs signals intelligence mission. These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. He later commanded both the 1/75th Rangers and the 1st Ranger Training Brigade. Cowan traveled the Lebanese countryside pinpointing the locations of Syrian anti-aircraft emplacements. Read Next: Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 operators on the loose? 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. Hostages were dispersed around Beirut and those with Jewish sounding names were being isolated. An ISA technician with a SATCOM was provided for the operation to aid in the tracking. This has been more visible in their operations in Afghanistan, Operation Winter Harvest and Operation Queens Hunter. 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'). My team, me and happy-trigger-fingered Kay-Kay, were to position north of the ambush site, report the approach of the Generals car, then pull our car out onto the highway to block traffic for the hot minute it took the assault force to stop Klandanjs car and scoop him up. International Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Interview with Dr. Niamh Gaynor, Transnistria and Russian Tensions: Moldova 12-month Forecast, Terrorist Threat in Senegal: A 12-month Forecast, Terrorist Threat in Guinea: A 12-Month Forecast, 7.3. After a massive effort, including remote viewers from the United States, turned up nothing, a team of ISA signals intelligence specialists was also sent over to Italy to provide any assistance they could, along with sophisticated equipment and specially outfitted helicopters. This was never forthcoming despite the greatest pressure upon the Agency. How to join the intelligence support activity - Quora He scurried off to the barricade. Special Recon, Direct Action. In Evaluating Immunities before a Special Tribunal for Aggression Against Ukraine, the Type of Tribunal Matters, Chinas Ferry Tale Taiwan Invasion Plan Is A Legal Nightmare, China Maritime Report No. ISA was highly classified. ISA operators would infiltrate either Beirut or Algiers on commercial flights to avoid tipping off the terrorists or the authorities. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. Deployed together with a small Delta Force contingent, Centra Spike flew over Colombia in their airplanes and continued to track Escobar. This intelligence then triangulated the possible location of Dozier. Candidates then are put through a battery of assessment and selection courses as well as background checks and psychological testing. The Birth of the Field Operations Group (Later Intelligence Support In 1979 the need for a dedicated special operations intelligence unit was solidified following the overthrowing of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Cake duty! 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. "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. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; (Source). The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. (Source), Additionally, the ISA has acted as a pseudo-security element for the CIA. These operatives were responsible for helping take down insurgent networks in Iraq. Working closely with Special Forces and the CIA, Gray Fox also places operatives inside hostile territory. As a result, ISA was almost disbanded, but Army officials succeeded in ensuring its survival, albeit on a much tighter leash. Intelligence Support Activity - SourceWatch "In 1982, ISA SIGINT specialists took part in Operation Queens Hunter, a Seaspray operation in the skies above El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. US News & World Report describes Torn Victor as 'trained as high-risk intelligence gatherers,' a title fitting the ISA. "ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the 'shooters'. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. With it, they had a unit of military spies able to covertly infiltrate a country and provide hands-on, critical intelligence, as well as to raise logistical support for counter-terrorist commandos in case of a crisis. The survey was successful, which led defense officials to create ad hoc Special Forces units to survey US embassies in hotspots around the world. 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 The ISA has gone by many name: Intelligence Support Activity or Mission Support Activity, and nicknamed The Activity, Task Force Orange . Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. 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. ISA members conducted extensive interviews with Special Forces members in the country, Lebanese Army and CIA and embassy officials. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ . var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); During these operations, the ISA operated alongside other combat groups, providing them with signals intelligence support and field intelligence, including HUMINT. October 16, 2020 They are known by many names: 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). Im telling you, they are packed parachutes for you; all you have to do is jump they dont need any training or preparation they can do it all!. })(); Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. They also have direct action elements within their battalions, alongside specialists in HUMINT and SIGINT. They are called upon to perform the toughest duties in the armed forces, and their actions directly affect the protection of America's freedom. Once inside, Centra Spike agents would plug in laptops into the airplane's power and could simultaneously track four frequencies. Not wishing to be a dire critic, I found it rather novice of him, but drew another pick from my kit and threw open the lock. 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. (Source) The US military sought to carry out intelligence operations without the direct need of US intelligence agencies. While the nerdiest Green Berets and special operators comprise the bulk of ISA, there are also non-traditional operatives who have not passed the selection course. The aim of the operation was to monitor cross-border raids and movements of Sandinista forces and rebels in El Salvador. It is after all, not a strictly combat-oriented role like its other Tier 1 operators. Covert operations are shrouded in plausible deniability. There are also teams within the ISA who can conduct direct action missions should the need arise. Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. 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. "Cowan put together another five-man team, but their deployment was stalled for three weeks. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop for free! The Intelligence Support Activity conducts its operations during and in advance of US military operations. Zones are prepared, field intelligence is gathered, and targets are laid out for other forces. Along with Queens Hunter, ISA was involved in many operations across Central America, in Panama, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. ISA would operate under a host of cover names to confuse anyone without the need to know. HUMINT collection cant be done without boots on the ground, so members of the main battalions are likely conducting field operations. This page was last edited on 1 April 2008, at 06:57. The support provided can come in a range of different forms. Alpha and Charlie troops utilize official cover to collect human intelligence. ISA focuses on gathering human intelligence based on contact with field agents, and signals intelligence (intercepted communications) to support Delta Force and DEVGRU operations. and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. Mission. This Army Special Operations unit, goes by many names, which is indicative of the various activities, functions and environments performed by these operators. Intelligence Support Activity - Person of Interest Wiki Killer Elite: The Inside Story of America's Most Secret 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. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. Additionally, ISA recruits from other branches of the US military and potentially elsewhere in the intelligence community. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. (. Subsequent, Task Force 121, a collection of special mission units and conventional forces organized a raid on a small farming compound in rural Iraq. On October 23, 1983, a truck bomb slammed into the US Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 Americans, and injuring scores more. 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. The Cantor finally said something, and he said it very very loudly when the mandarins lost control of some weapons and encrypted radios. Both were doing the same thing in Colombia, except Centra Spike was doing a better job, at a much lower cost. 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. The Invasion of Iraq was an extremely complex time for the US military with units scattered across the country conducting a wide variety of missions. 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 operation went smooth up until the force rolled away. ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? Intelligence Support Activity - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core 160th SOAR | I could tell by her skunk-eye that she had a dagger in the pipe ready to launch, so I lightened up. Working alongside SEASPRAY, a specialized aviation unit that would later form a part of Delta Force, the ISA would conduct aerial SIGINT operations to assist the Salvadoran Army against guerrillas. All rights reserved. As with any clandestine unit, only so much can be known about any of the JSOC special mission units.