The training processes of other military groups however grant general insight into the selection and training of the ISA. The ISA specializes in gathering human intelligence, signals intelligence and combat. ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? FOG was developed because of a perceived need for greater intelligence-gathering capabilities for the U.S. military. Jose Solano - Intelligence Analyst - CACI International Inc | LinkedIn It is tasked to collect actionable intelligence in advance of missions by other US special operations forces . Its worth noting that Bravo troop was never compromised while conducting espionage against the Assad regime in Syria. The Intelligence Support Activity conducts its operations during and in advance of US military operations. ISA operatives are highly skilled in the various arts of HUMINT gathering including: (Source). And now somebody SOMEBODY knows that somebody is recording all the cars turning down that specific road. 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. "Cowan put together another five-man team, but their deployment was stalled for three weeks. non-covert action intelligence activityoften a collection programto be of such sensitivity that 1 Oral notifications shall be followed by a written notification. The Cantor, busy writing, asked me how it went. 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. 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. A critical component of clandestine activity is the ability to infiltrate enemy territory ahead of more formal military action. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. 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. A goodly amount of minutes went by. This extends beyond knowledge of things like general location, language and culture. 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. Does the army's intelligence support activity also do direct action? The FOG was able to clandestinely enter Tehran and gather the required intelligence. 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. Army did likewise through DAMO-ODSO. Candidates then are put through a battery of assessment and selection courses as well as background checks and psychological testing. Years before its actual formation, the need for the ISA, or an operational entity like it, was already being examined. Wickham did transfer authority to the ACSI with predictable and less than beneficial results. 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. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. In addition to covert operations, it provides the war on terrorism with the kind of so-called 'close-in' signals monitoring -- including the interception of cell phone conversations -- that helped bring down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The 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. Establishing cover as husband and wife to live in and conduct intelligence collection missions within a target country. 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. Operation Anaconda highlights how vital of a role the ISA plays in the battlespace. The unit's missions range from Latin America, fighting communist guerrillas and drugs barons, to Africa, the Middle East and central Asia, tracking down terrorists. Check, chief! and she yanked the gat our of my hand. 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. 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. But what if I dont need signal intercept and intelligence gathering support for my mission?, Look, Geo theyre here, theyre queer, and theyd like so say hello just deal with it because theyre not going away. Traditions (religious, political, societal). 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. The forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) var _gaq = _gaq || []; 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'). The Pentagon's Spies: Military Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Activities (Source) Operatives must not look out of placeor easily recognizable. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. This is how we block. 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. "When the first rescue attempt of the hostages in Iran failed, a second attempt, code-named Honey Badger, immediately started. At the point of execution, the road became bureaucratically bumpy. The selection process for the ISA prioritizes both a physical skill for field operations and a skill for intelligence operations. The planners in DAMO-ODSO were acutely aware of the different legal authorities contained in Title 10 and Title 50 statutes. He would be given instructions and equipment along the way, and was required to perform certain assignments, for example, setting up a SATCOM system. 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. Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. 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. In line with their proficiency in infiltration, they had an array of passports, credit cards and falsified documents to allow easy movement between territories. ISA was close to making the exchange, but the deal fell through at the last minute. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ 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. The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators. So there they were sitting in our Tactical Operations Center in Bosnia waiting to be integrated into our PIFWC hunting operations. Unless you plan to body-check those cars I would junk up.. The authors note that "All information used in this article has been obtained from publicly available, open source documents." An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. Almost simultaneously, another truck bomb exploded in the French barracks, killing 56. They require units with combinations of trained specialized personnel, equipment, and tactics that exceed the routine capabilities of conventional military forces. (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. When Escobar surrendered in 1991, Centra Spike was pulled out, only to return a year later, when Escobar escaped from his comfortable prison. The ISA also has likely integrated other new intelligence fields into its scope. All rights reserved. "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. A declassified document provides background information about the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA ), a little known intelligence gathering unit that collects tactical intel for Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and other Special Operations units. The US military and many of its allies consider DA one of the basic special operations missions. Additionally, ISA gathers SIGINT primarily by intercepting enemy communications or sending an agent to physically bug a target. 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. Rather than disbanding the unit, it was expanded. The plan involved flying feet above the turbulent Mediterranean Sea, at night, through hostile airspace. USSOCOM receives, reviews, coordinates and prioritizes all Defense Department plans that support the global campaign against terrorism. 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. Get the weekly email from Grey Dynamics that makes reading intel articles and reports actually enjoyable. Now, shes a third-term Virginia congresswoman. All information and multimedia on Specwar.info comes from a wide number of sources. 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 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 raid was cancelled over fears that the French and Italians tipped Karadzic off. But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. They must maintain a demeanour of trustworthiness and calmness, so any approached HUMINT sources feel safe and trusted. The unit's history, the politics that have shaped it and the operations it has carried out are recounted in great and fascinating detail. In 1979 the need for a dedicated special operations intelligence unit was solidified following the overthrowing of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. ISA has gone by many names over the years but its current one is not public knowledge. The examples and perspective in this article, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Joint Publication 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms", United States Army Special Operations Command, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Direct_action_(military)&oldid=1081847487, This page was last edited on 10 April 2022, at 01:40. Why America's Special Forces Are so Unique and Deadly Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. (Source) The US military sought to carry out intelligence operations without the direct need of US intelligence agencies. The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. They marked secret infiltration routes and bases American forces could use if they were ever sent into the country. a Title 10 operation or a Title 50 operation. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. WOAH, WOAH, WOAH! the Cantor interrupted, youre telling me you put in the camera in daylight hours, and now everyone is supposed to be surprised and sympathetic that its gone?. The unit conducts close survelliance with cameras, even going as far as covertly entering terrorists safe houses and planting hidden cameras. The ISA differs from its brother and sister task forces in that it is not primarily a combat-oriented team, excelling in HUMINT and SIGINT operations that allow it to provide extremely valuable intelligence to other military elements. Additionally, these operative can remotely turn on a cellphone thats been turned off, which allows them to hear everything going on near it. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); Little is known about the organization or its activities, but it is clear that they serve as a military intelligence unit and have partaken in numerous missions around the globe. ". Good enough, I thought. Eliciting information from select sources, The exploitation of documents, media and materials. Known as the Confederate Air Force, a joke refencing their title, the Army of Northern Virginia. However, Operation Anaconda is one of few of the ISAs Afghanistan operations known to the public. If an operative is in a country with an official cover, possessing a firearm can mean being sent to prison or death. The support provided can come in a range of different forms. Meyer was determined that no future SOF OP with Army forces would be conducted absent credible quality CIA/DOD/NSA and Army intelligence. 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. The operation, code-named Great Falcon, made a deal with the Iraqi government for a T-72, in exchange for 175mm cannons. During the war on terror it was responsible for hunting hunting high value persons. What was needed was a SOF unit devoted to intelligence gathering and preparing the battlespace for other SOF operators. The direct action element reportedly trains with Delta Force and DEVGRU to maintain their skills. The separation did not fit real world requirements which was finally recognized in the aftermath of the failed Iran rescue. To this point, the CIA and the DOD followed separate independent paths as defined by statutes contained in Title 10 (DOD authorities) and Title 50 (Intelligence agency authorities). Initially, the raid appeared to be a bust until a Delta operator kicked some debris on exfil. 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. The US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. When hostages were taken in the Tehran embassy in 1980, it became clear that FOG needed to become a larger group with more resources. Every modern military relies on intelligence, and the US military is a voracious consumer of intelligence, from both an analytical and functional standpoint. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. Zones are prepared, field intelligence is gathered, and targets are laid out for other forces. This Intelligence Support Activity All-Inclusive Self-Assessment enables You to be that person. ISA operatives often work in disguise and undercover. "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. It later took on other roles like SIGINT as battlefield requirements changed over time. Along with Queens Hunter, ISA was involved in many operations across Central America, in Panama, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. 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. However, the ISA intercepted Iraqi communications that corroborated intelligence collected from his family members. The following article on the Intelligence Support Activity was copied from Specwarnet.net online. Nowadays the ISA focuses on the preparation of the battlespace for military operations across the globe. 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. 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. Intelligence Support Activity | The Activity | Gray Fox and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. The Cantor sent me out as usual to throw the lock, wait for our operational vehicle to pass, then shut it again. "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 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. Tools like radios, computers and lockpicks are much more crucial to the success of its missions. Working closely with Special Forces and the CIA, Gray Fox also places operatives inside hostile territory. Delta's deployment was stalled by bureaucratic dealings, so ISA mobilized its most compartmentalized unit, the direct action element, the shooters. The trials of the ISA in Queens Hunter were not the only time the team was tested in South America. Intelligence Support Activity | Military Wiki | Fandom 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? 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. I didnt think a thing of it, as it had taken me a while to throw that lock open on my first few tries. No unit is quite as secretive as the Intelligence Support Activity. As with both the establishment of JSOC, TF160/SOAR and Ranger SOF, the task was not easy. 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. 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