and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. 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. And with that our boss, the Cantor, doled out a mission for a two-man team of mandarins. 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. The web portal tool will maintain a repository of all INSCOM and non -INSCOM Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. Key was the requirement to develop a competent counter resolution force. 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. Bravo and Delta troops utilize commercial or non-official cover. The ISA consistently attaches itself to other units, either as a temporary or more permanent component. The rescue force was forced to launch with sketchy data forcing a worst-case force list. 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. "In late 1981, ISA agents were involved in the attempt to acquire a Soviet T-72 tank, which had obsessed intelligence analysts. (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. The exact breakdown of this squadron isnt known, however it is a reasonable assumption that its divided into troops based on the specific mission, such as airborne SIGINT or ground SIGINT. Tracking dummy targets over Medellin, Centra Spike managed to pinpoint their locations within 200 meters, while Majestic Eagle came no closer than four miles. Operatives must also go unnoticed, being able to blend into crowds and not draw attention. The specialists, nicknamed 'knob turners' operated sophisticated electronic eavesdropping equipment located in the back cabin of specially-outfitted Seaspray Beechcraft 100 airplanes. Delta Force | His elements were being heavily tasked, and a directed intelligence pipeline was established to FOG. 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. 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. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. National and Joint Intelligence Support - United States Army *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. The Cantor, busy writing, asked me how it went. About: Intelligence Support Activity - DBpedia (Source). During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. "ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the 'shooters'. 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. Killer Elite Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of the Intelligence Community 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 ISA's HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. An ISA agent was secretly infiltrated into Beirut where he provided real-time intelligence on the location of the hostages. Most officials disliked the unit's head, Jerry King, and thus, JSOC did not send the unit in. The ISA considers ethnicity of agents when they are deployed. (amazon.com), " Veritas Omnia Vincula Vincit Title 10 is the broad statute regarding what DOD is authorized to do. Since that time the unit reports to Special Operations Command or SOCOM in Tampa Florida, United States. The Cantor finally said something, and he said it very very loudly when the mandarins lost control of some weapons and encrypted radios. (Source) At the time, the Salvadoran Army was facing attacks from leftist groups and more lethal right-wing death squads. ISA members conducted extensive interviews with Special Forces members in the country, Lebanese Army and CIA and embassy officials. Primarily acting as enablers for JSOC special mission units. In effect, the ISAs exploitation of signal intelligence saved the lives of 100s of US soldiers from the 10th Mountain and 101st Airborne divisions. Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. . The exact makeup of ISAs force structure is hard to determine. By continuing to use this site you consent to our use of cookies. 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. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. "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. Intelligence Support Activity - SourceWatch 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. 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(Source). In 2003 four troops: A,B,C, and D made up the squadron. Grey Dynamics is a Private Intelligence firm based out of London with analysts, researchers, and investigators worldwide. Intelligence Support Activity A Complete Guide - 2020 Edition Sound Like You? Italian forces conducted the raid itself; rescuing Dozier and returning him to the US without a single casualty. Centra Spike agents operated all around Colombia, as well as neighbouring countries where the cartels influence extended. The SEALs, SAS, and SBS added additional capabilities over time, responding to the needs of modern conflict. FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii -- Leaders from the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) G-6/Ground Intelligence Support Activity (GISA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACoE) Honolulu . 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). After the rescue attempt, then CSA Shy Meyer, convened a small group of people within Army DCSOPS to address future SOF/CT structure in the aftermath of the failure, and while still under a POTUS mandate, to be prepared to conduct an In-Extremis rescue within 10 days. I could tell by her skunk-eye that she had a dagger in the pipe ready to launch, so I lightened up. 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 " All Rights Reserved, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance, otherwise known as Force Recon, are a company-sized (about 200) recon and direct-action element that falls directly under the Marine Expeditionary Force. "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 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. 11.". It was settled, and Majestic Eagle withdrew from the operation. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) Intelligence Support Activity > Service branch: Army > Also known as: Gray Fox, ISA, USISA, The Activity . America's Most Elite Special Forces - msn.com Special Operations Forces are the elite commandos of the U.S. military. They require units with combinations of trained specialized personnel, equipment, and tactics that exceed the routine capabilities of conventional military forces. Some forces were focused on eliminating Iraqi forces and others focused on deposing the ruling Hussein family. . The ISA technicians were instrumental in the tracking and capture of a number of Red Brigades terrorists, and most probably the location of the kidnapped Dozier himself. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. US News & World Report describes Torn Victor as 'trained as high-risk intelligence gatherers,' a title fitting the ISA. USSOCOM receives, reviews, coordinates and prioritizes all Defense Department plans that support the global campaign against terrorism. I pulled out a pick and tension bar and handed them to him. Ultimately, Operation Credible Sport was cancelled but the FOG had proven its usefulness. ISA: Soldier Spies of the Intelligence Support Activity The ISA also has a direct action arm comprised of men and women recruited from the US Army Delta . Here, Ive got it, offered the mandarin with hand extended to my lock pick set. 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(Source), The ISAs selection and training is geared towards intelligence specialisation despite conducting occasional direct engagement. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. 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. by Michael Smith So where are the pilots? To lawyers, this is a distinction with a difference. The unit would be immediately deployed to any country where a terrorist act against the United States had taken place, and would start providing critical intelligence, as well as setting up landing zones and infiltration routes for the counter-terrorist force. _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21361708-1']); Everyone in the unit is on on the Department of the Armys Special Roster, which means they dont exist. For obvious reasons, the unit doesnt exactly publicize their makeup. "During the 1983 American invasion of Grenada, special forces units were plagued by lack of useful and up-to-date intelligence. Once they arrived they took pictures of the embassy from every angle, recorded the types of locks on all doors, inside and outside, recorded the number of windows and exits, and created a blueprint of the building. These members function as case officers. Bickering between the CIA and JSOC further complicated matters. Enterprise Scalable Data Center Groundbreaking Ceremony 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]. 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. Russia and Ukraine battle daily in the sky. Mission. The following article on the Intelligence Support Activity was copied from Specwarnet.net online. 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. Its scope is quite large, and it often works in support of JSOC, SOCOM and even other intelligence agencies. 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'). People know ISA mostly for its involvement in Operation Anaconda. 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. The US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. A critical component of clandestine activity is the ability to infiltrate enemy territory ahead of more formal military action. 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. They were never used. Intelligence Support Activity - Wikipedia The ISA is perhaps the most major outlier doctrinally from its other, better known, counterparts within JSOC and SOCOM as a whole. The unit's history, the politics that have shaped it and the operations it has carried out are recounted in great and fascinating detail. Since 2003, t. Such as procuring equipment, getting funding for operations/training, and human resources functions. })(); Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. 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. It is common for the appearance and demeanour of an agent to be the key to their success as an infiltrator. Jose Solano - Intelligence Analyst - CACI International Inc | LinkedIn 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. In short order, Langley provided people, training, and a conduit to its various intelligence and planning aspects. 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? "Cowan put together another five-man team, but their deployment was stalled for three weeks. The CIA would talk directly to the warlords while the ISA provided SIGINT support and ground security for them. Killer Elite The ISA also has likely integrated other new intelligence fields into its scope. These operatives have a cover in the commercial sector, typically as an international businessperson. 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. Operatives tradecraft for avoiding detection is impeccable. 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 . However, his several interventions and temporary blockage of many initiatives, showed that his primary intent was to arrest the development and contain the capability. The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators. COL Nightingale is a retired Army Colonel who served two tours in Vietnam with Airborne and Ranger (American and Vietnamese) units. 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. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. Direct action (DA) is a term used in the context of military special operations for small-scale raids, ambushes, sabotage or similar actions. 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. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. I though not wanting to be the harsh critic at jump street found it rather novice of them the way they got their camera compromised. PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. Access to that road saved a considerable amount of travel time for support for an ongoing mission. For the four main battalions, numbering in total over 300 operators, there are different roles members could fall into. (. He later commanded both the 1/75th Rangers and the 1st Ranger Training Brigade. Some of the more well-documented operations of the ISA shed light on the general nature of the ISAs overall operations. ISA operatives often work in disguise and undercover. Task Force Mandarin [better known as Task Force Orange or the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA)] was a support organization formed to provide signal intercept and intelligence gathering capabilities to Tier One organizations. 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. 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They began forming their own plan for storming the airplane and liberating the hostages. US News & World Report 7/6/98 - "Hunting war criminals: The first account of secret U.S. missions in Bosnia" by Richard J. Newman, https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Intelligence_Support_Activity&oldid=305336, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. (Source). He had literally tried to muscle open the lock with tools designed for a sincerely delicate operation. 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. . Intelligence Support Activity - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core These missions include finding Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, locating Army Gen. James Dozier when he was kidnapped by the Red Brigade in 1981 and taking out observation points in Afghanistan to protect friendly forces in the area. Special Recon, Direct Action. By Almighty God and with honor, 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. Political bickering stalled the deployment of the agents, and finally, the operation was approved. to FOG, SOG, SAD, SMU, ISA, and, FID, the focus of which is the ISA through 2015. 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. Featured Book: The ISA has gone by many name: Intelligence Support Activity or Mission Support Activity, and nicknamed The Activity, Task Force Orange . (Source). The Secret Army of Northern Virginia - SOAA 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. It was so simple that we didnt even need to create a nursery rhyme to recite to help us remember all the steps. Smith's book lifts the lid of secrecy on the Activity, one of America's least well known Special Ops units. US Air Force Pararescue | 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 and direct action combat. The mandarins had inexplicably turned and ran south back to our home base leaving no rear guard for the main body. Intelligence Support Activity - Person of Interest Wiki