These are primarily preparation intelligence and tactical/ strategic intelligence for active operations. One such organization, the Red Brigades, composed of far-left communist-leaning extremists, kidnapped U.S. Brigadier General James Dozier. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. (Source). The whole force drove north as planned, putting Kay and me upfront to clear ahead and report back to the assault force. Meaning that the government of the country these troops are operating in known that they work for the US government, however they dont necessarily know that theyre a spy. Special Operations Forces: "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. 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. This has been more visible in their operations in Afghanistan, Operation Winter Harvest and Operation Queens Hunter. Plus, they wouldnt have to load the car back up again the next day what a grand and magnanimous plan that proved to be. 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). So there they were sitting in our Tactical Operations Center in Bosnia waiting to be integrated into our PIFWC hunting operations. 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 Operatives tradecraft for avoiding detection is impeccable. The terrain was extremely rugged, the enemy was far more entrenched than anticipated, and Murphys Law was in full effect. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. })(); Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. This includes Clandestine operations, but not those which are Covert. It is unclear how often the ISA interrogates subjects, though given their covert operations they likely at least interrogate high-value targets. 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. [2] Unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance and direct action roles have merged throughout the decades and are typically performed primarily by the same units. 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. But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. 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. (Source). a Title 10 operation or a Title 50 operation. Subsequent, Task Force 121, a collection of special mission units and conventional forces organized a raid on a small farming compound in rural Iraq. "When TWA Flight 847 was hijacked on June 14, 1985, America's counter-terrorist forces went on full alert. . 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. This time around, travel through the city was a very dangerous endeavour, with roadblocks everywhere. Every component of the US military was involved in the Invasion of Afghanistan, including the ISA. 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. Delta troop is tasked with countries that are a softer target for infiltration such as the Philippines or Morocco. "These commands and white Special Forces like the Green Berets, as well as Air Force combat controllers and commandos of eight different nations report to a mind-boggling array of new command cells and coordination units set up after Sept. All the tools you need to an in-depth Intelligence Support Activity Self-Assessment. This is how we block. (Source) Sending agents that not only act, but look like the people of the country they seek to infiltrate makes for an even more effective cover. This extra length concealed the main eavesdropping antennas, while others could be lowered from the belly while in flight. There are four primary battalions with various responsibilities being spread across them. 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. Members of FOG infiltrated Nicaragua using false passports. (Source). 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. Cake duty! It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) The Chiefs planning element determined that DOD/Army needed to create a Joint Army-CIA force that would both develop quality intelligence abroad, but also provide site support for direct action operations. This page was last edited on 1 April 2008, at 06:57. Are you one of them? Featuring 931 new and updated case-based questions, organized into seven core areas of process design, this Self-Assessment will help you identify areas in which . 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. In 2003 four troops: A,B,C, and D made up the squadron. The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. 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. 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. Bravo and Delta troops utilize commercial or non-official cover. It was discovered that he was tape-recording the operation, prompting fears that ISA head Jerry King might use the tape as leverage in case the op went bad. The operation, code-named Great Falcon, made a deal with the Iraqi government for a T-72, in exchange for 175mm cannons. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. The Birth of the Field Operations Group (Later Intelligence Support Activity / Secret Army of Northern Virginia), Part 1 of 3 - Rangers and TF160/SOAR to Follow. A Congressional hearing was held, and the media revealed the existence of a 'classified military intelligence unit'. The Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), the 1st Capabilities Integration Group (Airborne), or simply The Activity is a component of the US Army and acts as a dedicated intelligence group for SOCOM. 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. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. (. 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. 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. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. ISA operatives are masters of tradecraft. 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. (Source) This allowed the forces involved in the surrounding Shahikot Valley to be more informed of enemy movements and positions. 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 Cantor said nothing. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. The unit conducts close survelliance with cameras, even going as far as covertly entering terrorists safe houses and planting hidden cameras. Rather than disbanding the unit, it was expanded. _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.specwar.info']); Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era by Steven Emerson (Source). 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. 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. A case officer is someone who handles a foreign asset by giving them collection requirements and ensuring their safety. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); During the operation, a rivalry developed between Centra Spike, and a CIA intelligence unit named Majestic Eagle. "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. The monitoring of guerilla factions allowed the Salvadoran Army to successfully defend against their attacks. 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. A goodly amount of minutes went by. var _gaq = _gaq || []; But, it was also clear that some form of operational melding was essential to effectively address operational requirements. The specialists, nicknamed 'knob turners' operated sophisticated electronic eavesdropping equipment located in the back cabin of specially-outfitted Seaspray Beechcraft 100 airplanes. Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis. The cover of these operatives is typically much harder to develop since it requires a reason to be in and out of the target country on a frequent basis, and to have inauspicious ties to the target country. The ISA has gone by many name: Intelligence Support Activity or Mission Support Activity, and nicknamed The Activity, Task Force Orange . The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) 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. Kay-Kay and I sat at a table jamming some 12 magazines and chatting over our actions at our blocking position. Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. 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. No unit is quite as secretive as the Intelligence Support Activity. Read Next: Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 operators on the loose? Meyer was determined that no future SOF OP with Army forces would be conducted absent credible quality CIA/DOD/NSA and Army intelligence. The ISA agent was ordered to stop the recording, an order to which he complied. Special Air Service (SAS) | The ISAs execution of SIGINT monitoring was so successful that the month-long operation was extended to three years. Its members often use disguises to avoid detection and if they are compromised they can quickly disappear from sight and completely change their appearance. Known as the Confederate Air Force, a joke refencing their title, the Army of Northern Virginia. 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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]. A much more classified component was a solely-US effort codenamed Green Light, focusing specifically on former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic. Officially formed in 1980 as FOG then transitioning to the USAISA from 1981 to 1989, this unit now operates under changing names like Capacity Gear or Quiet Enable. >Develops and . (Source). HUMINT collection cant be done without boots on the ground, so members of the main battalions are likely conducting field operations. "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. "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in . (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. by Michael Smith That night, the mandarin and I stashed our car and cut through an orchard whose northwest corner gave way to the bollards and the chain barricade. ISA members conducted extensive interviews with Special Forces members in the country, Lebanese Army and CIA and embassy officials. The ISA also has a direct action arm comprised of men and women recruited from the US Army Delta . Killer Elite Title 10 is the broad statute regarding what DOD is authorized to do. Initially, the raid appeared to be a bust until a Delta operator kicked some debris on exfil. US Army Rangers | (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. (Source) Gray Fox operators and intelligence specialists operated alongside other special operations units, including Delta Force and DEVGRU, as well as other components of the US Army. In line with their proficiency in infiltration, they had an array of passports, credit cards and falsified documents to allow easy movement between territories. Does the army's intelligence support activity also do direct action? 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. 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. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. ", Sources: 11.". COL Nightingale is a retired Army Colonel who served two tours in Vietnam with Airborne and Ranger (American and Vietnamese) units. Being highly proficient in the collection of HUMINT and SIGINT has made them a very effective, yet specifically dedicated, intelligence task force. As a result, ISA was almost disbanded, but Army officials succeeded in ensuring its survival, albeit on a much tighter leash. (Source). "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. find out more It is known that the unit has changed its codename over the years. When Escobar surrendered in 1991, Centra Spike was pulled out, only to return a year later, when Escobar escaped from his comfortable prison. ISA was asked to develop a plan of action. The Joint Special Operations Command and the frequently-renamed Intelligence Support Activity are similar units. 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'). 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. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. An ISA agent was secretly infiltrated into Beirut where he provided real-time intelligence on the location of the hostages. They discovered there was no co-ordination between them, and vital information regarding terrorist attacks was not being shared. Originally referred to as Task Force Orange, other names have included Centra Spike, Torn Victor and Gray Fox. Not only did this demonstrate that the ISA was functionally effective, it showed that it could operate alongside not only various elements of the US military, but foreign military elements as well. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. Army did likewise through DAMO-ODSO. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This is directed from , waaay above my pay grade yeah, I get it.. Retired Army Col. Paris Davis stood in the White House as President Biden draped the Medal of Honor around his neck, nearly Chief Special Warfare Operator Michael T. Ernst died following a "military freefall training accident" on Feb. 19 in Marana Lt. Col. Collin Charlie Christopherson, the commander of the 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, was arrested How much do you know about the morale machine that's been deploying with U.S. troops since WWII? The ACSI, LTG Odom, strongly objected to the authority lines for FOG and asked Meyer to switch the Army portion from DCSOPS to the ACSI. The exact makeup of ISAs force structure is hard to determine. 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. A vehicle on time and on target rolled through the barricade. 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 I grabbed assault rifles and ammo can from our stash in the attic of the safe house and reluctantly handed one to Kay-Kay: You keep this damned thing on safe at all times! Approval was given for ISA's deployment, and operators flew to Frankfurt, where some stayed in case the airliner, now back in Beirut, flew back to Algiers. They require units with combinations of trained specialized personnel, equipment, and tactics that exceed the routine capabilities of conventional military forces. ODSO/FOG overcame much of this through replication of capability generously funded and supported by CIA. However, through OSINT collection we know that there are three primary squadrons: Sometimes referred to as HUMINT or Ground squadron, Operations Squadron functions as ISAs HUMINT collection squadron. It was Delta Forces first mission and a horrific failure. These members function as case officers. They set up protection for the president and installed a security system. Lgion trangre (French Foreign Legion) | Unit Profile. The Untold Story of Women in Special Operations, We Are Abandoning the Women of the Special Forces, SOAA Calls for Support of our Afghan Allies in The Hill, SOAA Supports Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret. Geo, take a mandarin with you, the Cantor directed without looking at me. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. The capture was to happen as he would be heading south to the city of Vlasenica. Additionally, these operative can remotely turn on a cellphone thats been turned off, which allows them to hear everything going on near it. 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. 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!. 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). All rights reserved. Once inside, Centra Spike agents would plug in laptops into the airplane's power and could simultaneously track four frequencies. LTG Odom acquiesced but took every opportunity to oppose actions engaging his traditional intelligence elements.