intelligence support activity direct action

"In 1983, a five-man ISA unit led by Lt. Col. William Cowan was dispatched to Beirut, Lebanon to deal with the increasing threat to American interests in the area. Operation Anaconda highlights how vital of a role the ISA plays in the battlespace. Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. 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 goodly amount of minutes went by. Featured Book: 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. He later commanded both the 1/75th Rangers and the 1st Ranger Training Brigade. 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. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. While driving through northern Lebanon, Cowan and his mates suffered several close calls with Syrian roadblocks and patrols. Additionally, conceal meant can be a factor in weapon selection too. (Source) This allowed the forces involved in the surrounding Shahikot Valley to be more informed of enemy movements and positions. "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. The OSS was a direct action "group" that was directly involved in sabotage, infiltration, combat and even assassination. 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 . Killing Pablo by Mark Bowden (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. Their role is to bridge the gaps when it is simply too dangerous for other agencies to put boots on the ground, and as these gaps change in every operational environment, so too do their responsibilities and activities. This site uses cookies. The unit is provided with the best equipment money can buy and it is known it maintained a fleet of aircraft at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. "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. "During the 1983 American invasion of Grenada, special forces units were plagued by lack of useful and up-to-date intelligence. The other half flew to Cyprus to join the rest of the rescue force. 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. (Source). var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; That close-holding of his cards was typical of him. Landing zones were established, Lebanese militias contacted for help, and plans formulated for a commando force. Unless you plan to body-check those cars I would junk up.. 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. A case officer is someone who handles a foreign asset by giving them collection requirements and ensuring their safety. Each of these groups achieves different specialised tasks for their assigned mission. ISA recommended covert deployment of its operatives to both airports to secure landing zones and infiltration routes. This extends beyond knowledge of things like general location, language and culture. Intelligence picked up reports that the two, along with other Sudanese officials were the targets of Libyan-sponsored terrorist assassinations. He commanded airborne battalions in both the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division. All rights reserved. Units in Sarajevo tracked Karadzic electronically, while other agents were on the ground in Pale, Karadzic's home. 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. The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators, who excel in intelligence gathering, languages and electronic surveillance. This is especially useful in countries where men and women socializing is frowned upon outside of the family. and direct action combat. 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. Some forces were focused on eliminating Iraqi forces and others focused on deposing the ruling Hussein family. The ISA is perhaps the most major outlier doctrinally from its other, better known, counterparts within JSOC and SOCOM as a whole. As the name implies, SIGINT Squadron is responsible for ISAs signals intelligence mission. Establishing cover as husband and wife to live in and conduct intelligence collection missions within a target country. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. ISA. Special Operations Forces are the elite commandos of the U.S. military. During these operations, the ISA operated alongside other combat groups, providing them with signals intelligence support and field intelligence, including HUMINT. PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. 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. The operation went smooth up until the force rolled away. 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. Its purpose is unlike many other special operations forces of the US military, not dedicated to direct combat, and more towards secretive and clandestine actions necessary to support other military operations. The SEALs, SAS, and SBS added additional capabilities over time, responding to the needs of modern conflict. 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. Colonel Jerry King retained his position as the head of the group, now 100-strong and headquartered in a nondescript building in Arlington, Virginia. A key driver for the meeting was the recognition that quality operational intelligence was virtually non-existent. Wickham did transfer authority to the ACSI with predictable and less than beneficial results. (Source), The ISAs selection and training is geared towards intelligence specialisation despite conducting occasional direct engagement. But, ISA also sponsored a private rescue mission by Vietnam War veteran Bo Gritz, providing him with thousands of dollars worth of communications equipment, cameras, along with plane tickets and intelligence photos. Its skills 'perfected during missions over El Salvador,' Centra Spike honed in on Escobar's cellular phone calls and relayed the information back to Colombian police forces. ODSO/FOG overcame much of this through replication of capability generously funded and supported by CIA. The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Samuel is a King's College graduate with an MA in War Studies. From 5 miles away and 4,575m above the ground, operatives could target insurgents communications via cellphone. " 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 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. 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. Failed Clandestine operations, usually result in some form of USG explanation. ISA was close to making the exchange, but the deal fell through at the last minute. Special Operations Forces: ISA members are often multilingual. The Cantor, busy writing, asked me how it went. 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! 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 . In 2003 the CIA and ISA conducted a joint operation in Somalia. 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. So where are the pilots? At the point of execution, the road became bureaucratically bumpy. (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 monitoring of guerilla factions allowed the Salvadoran Army to successfully defend against their attacks. When operatives are in less restrictive environments they can often be seen carrying weapons used by locals, most often in the form of AKs. Nowadays the ISA focuses on the preparation of the battlespace for military operations across the globe. Mission. ", Sources: 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 ISA agent was ordered to stop the recording, an order to which he complied. Some solid intelligence gleaning prompted the community into action to capture PIFWC Serbian General S. Kladanj on his scheduled move out of Serbia proper into the Republic of Serbia. The Department of Defense in 1965 outlined its need to be more involved with collecting intelligence, supported by Robert McNamara. 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. Gray Fox was formed in 1980 in response to the infamous failed rescue attempt of American hostages under Operation Eagle Claw in the Tehran embassy. Boss Cantor seemed satisfied with how the mandarins gathered the necessary hardware for the mission and then marched smartly out the door. "ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the 'shooters'. Unfortunately, the police were either heavily corrupted or unwilling to arrest Escobar, and the intelligence went to waste. 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. "In 1984, political instability swept through the Seychelles, a group of islands off the coast of Africa. Moscow Should Prepare For Probable US Nuclear Aggression: Reports Russian Military Journal, Destroying American Monster Abrams: Pro-Russian Group Release A How-To Video, Dr. Mary E. Walker: The First AND Only Female Medal Of Honor Recipient, Bakhmut on the Brink of Falling to Russian Troops, Decorated Navy SEAL Died in HALO Training Accident, Adam Brown: A SEALs Life of Courage and Redemption, Complete List: Ticonderoga-class Missile Cruisers To Retire By 2027, Nuclear Close Calls That Nearly Caused World War III, Russian Sausage Millionaire and Putin Critic Falls to His Death in India, Deadly Russian Rifle Brigade Wiped Out During War in Ukraine. 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 strategists decided the best option would be to send an ISA team in to provide accurate intelligence on the situation, and to prepare to secure landing zones for a Delta rescue force. By Almighty God and with honor, "Also in 1982, an ISA team was sent to Sudan to provide protection to Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry and his vice president. In 2003 four troops: A,B,C, and D made up the squadron. The unit conducts close survelliance with cameras, even going as far as covertly entering terrorists safe houses and planting hidden cameras. The JTF was largely dependent upon the CIA to provide the vital confirming HUMINT as to the hostage location. The planners in DAMO-ODSO were acutely aware of the different legal authorities contained in Title 10 and Title 50 statutes. (Source). 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. There are four primary battalions with various responsibilities being spread across them. Clothing worn by locals, even in specific areas. Additionally, ISA recruits from other branches of the US military and potentially elsewhere in the intelligence community. "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. This is a potentially significant compromise. the Cantor lamented in earnest. See Intelligence Collection Directive (ICD) 112, . Russia and Ukraine battle daily in the sky. If successful, the candidate would then continue training within ISA in such skills as parachuting, survival, weapons and intelligence gathering. The unit is organized into several elements. The vast majority of their operations are clouded not just in shadow, but in complete darkness. a Title 10 operation or a Title 50 operation. Unit Profile. The web portal tool will maintain a repository of all INSCOM and non -INSCOM Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. (Source). Its members often use disguises to avoid detection and if they are compromised they can quickly disappear from sight and completely change their appearance. Special Air Service (SAS) | "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. They must maintain a demeanour of trustworthiness and calmness, so any approached HUMINT sources feel safe and trusted. Centra Spike agents operated all around Colombia, as well as neighbouring countries where the cartels influence extended. As they soundly slept in the reverie of their grand plan, the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy happened by and found the car unlocked. The selection process for the ISA prioritizes both a physical skill for field operations and a skill for intelligence operations. Funding was to be a joint undertaking. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. (Source). 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. There was a task I did for the Cantor routinely and at a moments notice. 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. 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!. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); This Intelligence Support Activity All-Inclusive Self-Assessment enables You to be that person. Originally the ISA operated as a tactical arm of the National Security Agency. Grey Dynamics is a Private Intelligence firm based out of London with analysts, researchers, and investigators worldwide. 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. 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. 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). Bickering between the CIA and JSOC further complicated matters. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. Dozier was taken hostage and mistreated, with the Red Brigades viewing him as an ideological foe that needed to be made an example of. The plan involved flying feet above the turbulent Mediterranean Sea, at night, through hostile airspace. The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. 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. ISA operators would infiltrate either Beirut or Algiers on commercial flights to avoid tipping off the terrorists or the authorities. 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 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). ISA was allegedly co-operating with Task Force Ranger, and was responsible for tracking down Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Adid, through electronic surveillance and Somalian informants. However, due to the nature of ISAs mission, its operators are rarely likely to carry weapons into the field. People know ISA mostly for its involvement in Operation Anaconda. Plus, they wouldnt have to load the car back up again the next day what a grand and magnanimous plan that proved to be. They also have direct action elements within their battalions, alongside specialists in HUMINT and SIGINT. 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. Featured Book: Gaining entry into the ISA is not easy; candidates already must be part of a special operations forces group. He would be given instructions and equipment along the way, and was required to perform certain assignments, for example, setting up a SATCOM system. Some of the more well-documented operations of the ISA shed light on the general nature of the ISAs overall operations. They set up protection for the president and installed a security system. It is known that the unit has changed its codename over the years. It is known that the unit has changed its codename over . During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. The Joint Special Operations Command and the frequently-renamed Intelligence Support Activity are similar units. 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 To operatorsnot so much. But, it was also clear that some form of operational melding was essential to effectively address operational requirements. The southern blocking force team of mystified mandarins meandered in where we were stacking mags and: What are you guys doing with all the hardware?, Mission prep for the Klandanj takedown., Well were a blocking force; were supposed to block cars keep them from getting around us to the ambush site. ". ISA was asked to form an Algerian-based plan and a Beirut-based one for rescue. I could tell by her skunk-eye that she had a dagger in the pipe ready to launch, so I lightened up. Well, ok we arrived at just around 1630hrs and the mandarin began. This was never forthcoming despite the greatest pressure upon the Agency. The manhunt was over. 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. The unit is organized into several elements. We locked the chain back up behind it and returned to base. An ISA agent was secretly infiltrated into Beirut where he provided real-time intelligence on the location of the hostages. 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. 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. Most ISA trainees are from Army Special Forces, meaning many have skills in CQC, sniping, counter-sniping and general tactical engagements. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) Delta was finally given the go-ahead and flew to Sicily and Cyprus along with Task Force 160 and Seaspray helicopters, thus ending the need for ISA's help. Good enough, I thought. They discovered there was no co-ordination between them, and vital information regarding terrorist attacks was not being shared. (Source). 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. Officials developed a contingency plan for the new situation: ISA operators were to infiltrate the city and confirm the locations of the hostages, as well as make contact with the Lebanese Christian militia. And now somebody SOMEBODY knows that somebody is recording all the cars turning down that specific road. FOG was developed because of a perceived need for greater intelligence-gathering capabilities for the U.S. military. With the expansion, the FOG has renamed the ISA and officially established as a unit on January 29th, 1981. All the tools you need to an in-depth Intelligence Support Activity Self-Assessment. 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. "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. Additionally, these operative can remotely turn on a cellphone thats been turned off, which allows them to hear everything going on near it. The Intelligence Support Activitys operations in El Salvador, under Operation Queens Hunter, demonstrated the effectiveness of the newly founded squadrons mastery of SIGINT and cross-departmental cooperation. 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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