The US military and many of its allies consider DA one of the basic special operations missions. 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 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. The ISA considers ethnicity of agents when they are deployed. ISA has been known to utlizes signal skimmers to pick up enemy radio transmissions and zero in on their location. 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]. Good enough, I thought. Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. "Also in 1989, ISA was rumoured to have taken part in the hunt for the richest drug trafficker in the world, Pablo Escobar, operating under the code-name Centra Spike. Their unique abilities are called upon when other special operations forces have not been able to complete their mission due to a gap in intelligence. 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. ISA focuses on gathering human intelligence based on contact with field agents, and signals intelligence (intercepted communications) to support Delta Force and DEVGRU operations. US Army intelligence defines HUMINT as including: The sources of this information can come from enemy combatants, including regular armed forces, and civilian sources.
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 ISA agent was ordered to stop the recording, an order to which he complied. All rights reserved. "In and around Afghanistan, Gray Fox was part of a secret sphere that included the CIA's paramilitary Special Activities Division and the Pentagon's Joint Special Operations Command. (Dominique Sumner and Peter Tomich). 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'). His areas of focus are extremism in the Western world, military privatization and the impact of climate change on global security. Cake duty! 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. Before it operated under the name ISA, the group was referred to as the Field Operations Group (FOG). USSOCOM receives, reviews, coordinates and prioritizes all Defense Department plans that support the global campaign against terrorism. It is known that the unit has changed its codename over . "In 1981, the Central Intelligence Agency, along with a covert helicopter unit, Seaspray, was involved in the secret transport of Lebanese Christian leader Bashir Gemayel back to Beirut after a round of secret talks with the President Ronald Reagan. The Department of Defense in 1965 outlined its need to be more involved with collecting intelligence, supported by Robert McNamara. The mission support teams help actualize the other major goal of supporting other forces in a battlespace. These techniques include intelligence gathering, infiltration and intelligence support. They were never used. FOG was developed because of a perceived need for greater intelligence-gathering capabilities for the U.S. military. The exact makeup of ISAs force structure is hard to determine. His elements were being heavily tasked, and a directed intelligence pipeline was established to FOG. As the name implies, SIGINT Squadron is responsible for ISAs signals intelligence mission. There are four primary battalions with various responsibilities being spread across them. 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. I delivered the unemotional skinny to the Cantor who neither commented nor looked up from his work. Gaining entry into the ISA is not easy; candidates already must be part of a special operations forces group. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. (Source). The web portal tool will maintain a repository of all INSCOM and non -INSCOM Here, Ive got it, offered the mandarin with hand extended to my lock pick set. Key was the requirement to develop a competent counter resolution force. "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. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. This Army Special Operations unit, goes by many names, which is indicative of the various activities, functions and environments performed by these operators. "The government realized the importance of the FOG. The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. From 5 miles away and 4,575m above the ground, operatives could target insurgents communications via cellphone. 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. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. 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. Killer Elite "Also in 1982, an ISA team was sent to Sudan to provide protection to Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry and his vice president. The ISA specializes in gathering human intelligence, signals intelligence and combat. The JTF was largely dependent upon the CIA to provide the vital confirming HUMINT as to the hostage location. 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. Additionally, these operative can remotely turn on a cellphone thats been turned off, which allows them to hear everything going on near it. Though its freelance tendencies were curbed, the ISA continued to operate under different guises through the ill-starred U.S. involvement in Somalia in 1992 and was reportedly active in the hunt for Bosnian Serbs suspected of war crimes. During the 1990's the unit was known as Capacity Gear. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
Killing Pablo by Mark Bowden 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). (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. 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'). 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 However, the CIA couldnt provide these answers so Delta turned to the FOG. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. "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. If an operative is in a country with an official cover, possessing a firearm can mean being sent to prison or death. 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. These members function as case officers. The capture was to happen as he would be heading south to the city of Vlasenica. ISA was highly classified. By the time though, the situation had begun to subside. The FOG was able to clandestinely enter Tehran and gather the required intelligence. "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in . These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. When government officials found out, they were horrified, they seemed to have a rogue agency within its ranks. Unless you plan to body-check those cars I would junk up.. 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. Featured Book: The TRADOC DCS, G-2 develops, describes, and delivers the OE in order to support the Army's preparations to fight and win the nation's wars. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. to FOG, SOG, SAD, SMU, ISA, and, FID, the focus of which is the ISA through 2015. It is known that the unit has changed its codename over the years. Intelligence picked up reports that the two, along with other Sudanese officials were the targets of Libyan-sponsored terrorist assassinations. This extends beyond knowledge of things like general location, language and culture. All Rights Reserved. The next morning arrived, but the moping mandarins came empty-handed: Ok, give me a rundown on the entire operation starting from when you arrived at the install site.. Primarily acting as enablers for JSOC special mission units. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. Establishing cover as husband and wife to live in and conduct intelligence collection missions within a target country. Support Veteran Journalism . He would be given instructions and equipment along the way, and was required to perform certain assignments, for example, setting up a SATCOM system. a Title 10 operation or a Title 50 operation. 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. The planners in DAMO-ODSO were acutely aware of the different legal authorities contained in Title 10 and Title 50 statutes. Initially, Delta Force turned to the CIA for information regarding the number of guards, how they were armed and what security measures they had in place. Members of FOG infiltrated Nicaragua using false passports. The cyber operations team extends into other offsets of intelligence gathering, including OSINT, cyber threat intelligence and cyber warfare. (Source). 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). Are you one of them? It later took on other roles like SIGINT as battlefield requirements changed over time. 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. Meyer was determined that no future SOF OP with Army forces would be conducted absent credible quality CIA/DOD/NSA and Army intelligence. 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. Get the weekly email from Grey Dynamics that makes reading intel articles and reports actually enjoyable. 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. 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. 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. Meyer was incensed at the lack of CIA interest/dedication/support to the rescue task and believed that was a major factor in the failure. 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. Special Recon, Direct Action. The survey was successful, which led defense officials to create ad hoc Special Forces units to survey US embassies in hotspots around the world. 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. ISA intelligence specialists, K9 units, security experts and demolition experts were sent to the country undercover as military advisers. The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. Afghanistan: The Fox and The Anaconda.
In one particular situation, Delta and Torn Victor agents supposedly donned French uniforms (Pale is in the French sector of the UN zone) and traveled to Pale hoping to conduct closer surveillance of his whereabouts. Russia's Spetsnaz combines DA and SR units. Army did likewise through DAMO-ODSO. Covert operations are shrouded in plausible deniability. 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!. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. var _gaq = _gaq || [];
ISA operatives are masters of tradecraft. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) They began forming their own plan for storming the airplane and liberating the hostages. (function() {
find out more At the point of execution, the road became bureaucratically bumpy. The emerging problems our Nation faced in the early 1980s with terrorism, airplane hijacking, and hostage taking, created considerable challenges for the government (USG) to resolve. The rapidly deteriorating situation in the country prompted the United States to create a small Special Forces unit with the purpose of surveying the US embassy. . People know ISA mostly for its involvement in Operation Anaconda. During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. ISA recommended covert deployment of its operatives to both airports to secure landing zones and infiltration routes. 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
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. The U.S. Army Intelligence Support Activity (ISA) is a special operations unit that collects "actionable" intelligence in preparation for activities by other special operations units, particularly those related to counter-terrorism missions. The support provided can come in a range of different forms. Title 10 is the broad statute regarding what DOD is authorized to do. 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 . They acquainted themselves with the layout and landmarks of the city for future reference. Intelligence Support Activity-Bragg developed an online tool, the pilot for which was planned to commence on June 1, 2019, to standardize the System Authorization Access Request, Acceptable Use Policy and Privileged Access Agreement for the command. This site uses cookies. (Source) Training involves different espionage and intelligence methods that allow ISA members to carry out their essential HUMINT operations. ODSO/FOG overcame much of this through replication of capability generously funded and supported by CIA. (Source) At the time, the Salvadoran Army was facing attacks from leftist groups and more lethal right-wing death squads. Zones are prepared, field intelligence is gathered, and targets are laid out for other forces. But if the copyright owners want to get in touch to have them immediately removed from this site then please contact our webmaster. In line with their proficiency in infiltration, they had an array of passports, credit cards and falsified documents to allow easy movement between territories. COL Nightingale is a retired Army Colonel who served two tours in Vietnam with Airborne and Ranger (American and Vietnamese) units. Ultimately, Operation Credible Sport was cancelled but the FOG had proven its usefulness. It is unclear how often the ISA interrogates subjects, though given their covert operations they likely at least interrogate high-value targets. The CIA proved unable to provide the critical intelligence Delta Force needed, such as the number of guards, the type of weapons they were using and what kinds of locks were on the doors. To lawyers, this is a distinction with a difference. The unit is organized into several elements. Operatives infiltrated internet cafes in Baghdad and conducted flyover operations in aircraft filled with signal interception gear. The mandarins had inexplicably turned and ran south back to our home base leaving no rear guard for the main body. All the tools you need to an in-depth Intelligence Support Activity Self-Assessment. When Escobar surrendered in 1991, Centra Spike was pulled out, only to return a year later, when Escobar escaped from his comfortable prison. One of their major tasks was to create 'pathfinders'. This time, the manhunt for Escobar was being led by Col. Hugo Martinez, who did not intend to let Escobar get away, and who operated with ruthless efficiency, aided by Centra Spike's intelligence. 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. 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'). 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. But, it was also clear that some form of operational melding was essential to effectively address operational requirements.
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. (Source). During the operation, a rivalry developed between Centra Spike, and a CIA intelligence unit named Majestic Eagle. Escobar was shot as he was trying to escape from the roof of his house. (Source) This allowed the forces involved in the surrounding Shahikot Valley to be more informed of enemy movements and positions. Highly recommended. "ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the 'shooters'. "Cowan put together another five-man team, but their deployment was stalled for three weeks. Reconnaissance overflights revealed a possible location where POWs, still believed to be held by the Vietnamese early in the year. Geo, take a mandarin with you, the Cantor directed without looking at me. Later that same year, Delta Force and ISA operators were sent to Saudi Arabia to help organize and train a Special Purpose Detachment of the Saudi National Guard. 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. (Source). The unit is organized into several elements. Years before its actual formation, the need for the ISA, or an operational entity like it, was already being examined. 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 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. (Source). What was needed was a SOF unit devoted to intelligence gathering and preparing the battlespace for other SOF operators. Once inside, Centra Spike agents would plug in laptops into the airplane's power and could simultaneously track four frequencies. "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. Distinctive Unit Insignia of the US Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), Task Force Orange; the Intelligence Support Activity; The Activity; the Army of Northern Virginia; the Field Operations Group (FOG); the United States Army Intelligence Support Activity, or just shortened to Intelligence Support Activity (USISA). The decision was made to deploy another ISA unit. 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. "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 negotiations were going so well that Iraq decided to throw in a Mil Mi-24 Hind D helicopter and a MiG-25 fighter-interceptor. In the 1980s, extremist parties on both sides of the political spectrum plagued Italy. While driving through northern Lebanon, Cowan and his mates suffered several close calls with Syrian roadblocks and patrols. (Source). (Source). Some of the more well-documented operations of the ISA shed light on the general nature of the ISAs overall operations. 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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. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. It was settled, and Majestic Eagle withdrew from the operation. Under the US Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service, there is a Special Activities Division to operate without apparent national identification for plausible deniability. Operation Anaconda highlights how vital of a role the ISA plays in the battlespace. 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. Smith's book lifts the lid of secrecy on the Activity, one of America's least well known Special Ops units. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. But it had no effect on me or what I was doing not for now at least. . Access to that road saved a considerable amount of travel time for support for an ongoing mission. One selection exercise involved dropping a candidate off in the desert without food, water or means of communication. 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. Eliciting information from select sources, The exploitation of documents, media and materials. 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. They also have direct action elements within their battalions, alongside specialists in HUMINT and SIGINT. 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. Authors cartoon depicting the mandarins installing the soon-to-be compromised surveillance camera. 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. Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Operations Response Team (SORT), " Veritas Omnia Vincula Vincit US Army Intelligence Support Activity (USAISA), also known as ISA, The Activity, GREY FOX and, in recent times, the Mission Support Activity (MSA), is a top secret Army intelligence unit. It is common for the appearance and demeanour of an agent to be the key to their success as an infiltrator. Highly detailed knowledge of an infiltration location is also key. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) 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. Then, Delta and SEAL Team 6 operators would make their way into the city in small groups and wait at safe-houses until the time was right. (Source).