Since its inception, the Activity has been providing invaluable intelligence and support to many United States operations. 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'). Killer Elite *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. Smith's book lifts the lid of secrecy on the Activity, one of America's least well known Special Ops units. 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 . The unit was raised in 1979 as the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), who was created to overthrow the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. If successful, the candidate would then continue training within ISA in such skills as parachuting, survival, weapons and intelligence gathering. The DCS, G-2 is the Director of the Operational Environment Enterprise (OEE) and author of the Army's approved current Operational Environment (OE). Special Operations (SO) encompass the use of small units in direct or indirect military actions focused on strategic or operational objectives. 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). Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. As with both the establishment of JSOC, TF160/SOAR and Ranger SOF, the task was not easy. (Source). 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. Additionally, ISA operates a number of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and these pilots fit somewhere into the puzzle that is ISA. (. Both were doing the same thing in Colombia, except Centra Spike was doing a better job, at a much lower cost. No unit is quite as secretive as the Intelligence Support Activity. If an operative is in a country with an official cover, possessing a firearm can mean being sent to prison or death. Russia and Ukraine battle daily in the sky. 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. to FOG, SOG, SAD, SMU, ISA, and, FID, the focus of which is the ISA through 2015. The selection process and training for special operations groups are secret. It was so simple that we didnt even need to create a nursery rhyme to recite to help us remember all the steps. On the ground, these operatives can use a directional antenna programmed to pick up a specific cellphones signal, even if it was turned off, providing Delta Force with a target building to raid. Every component of the US military was involved in the Invasion of Afghanistan, including the ISA. Members of FOG infiltrated Nicaragua using false passports. and other specialized capabilities to support Army, joint, unified action partners, and the U.S. intelligence commu-nity. Operationally, the ISA is a dedicated intelligence group, doing the intelligence leg work for special operations groups. If some elements (especially photos) were originally yours please consider Specwar.info to host for free. SIGINT operations extended to areas with overlapping guerrilla operations, such as Nicaragua, which was facing the increased foe of the Contras. (Source) This indicates that members of the primary four battalions who are combat specialists will have a wide range of skills, and therefore a high range of weapons they utilize. They set up protection for the president and installed a security system. Establishing cover as husband and wife to live in and conduct intelligence collection missions within a target country. 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. Operation Anaconda highlights how vital of a role the ISA plays in the battlespace. 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. The manhunt was over. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop for free! by Michael Smith 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. In 2003 four troops: A,B,C, and D made up the squadron. We locked the chain back up behind it and returned to base. 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. Delta Force | 11.". This extra length concealed the main eavesdropping antennas, while others could be lowered from the belly while in flight. 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. The Joint Special Operations Command and the frequently-renamed Intelligence Support Activity are similar units. The breakdown of this squadron isnt known either but it likely contains logistical support for the two operational squadrons. "When the first rescue attempt of the hostages in Iran failed, a second attempt, code-named Honey Badger, immediately started. Traditions (religious, political, societal). Army did likewise through DAMO-ODSO. find out more "ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the 'shooters'. (Source) At the time, the Salvadoran Army was facing attacks from leftist groups and more lethal right-wing death squads. This Intelligence Support Activity All-Inclusive Self-Assessment enables You to be that person. 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. However, his several interventions and temporary blockage of many initiatives, showed that his primary intent was to arrest the development and contain the capability. For the four main battalions, numbering in total over 300 operators, there are different roles members could fall into. 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. While driving through northern Lebanon, Cowan and his mates suffered several close calls with Syrian roadblocks and patrols. 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 This page was last edited on 1 April 2008, at 06:57. Afghanistan: The Fox and The Anaconda. 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 Cantor said nothing. If they would have been caught, they were done. SMU operator (on ISA breaking into an Al-Qaeda safehouse), Additionally, HUMINT operatives working deep undercover will sometimes work in male-female teams. It later took on other roles like SIGINT as battlefield requirements changed over time. 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. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. Get the weekly email from Grey Dynamics that makes reading intel articles and reports actually enjoyable. Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 operators on the loose? Initially, the raid appeared to be a bust until a Delta operator kicked some debris on exfil. 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? And with that our boss, the Cantor, doled out a mission for a two-man team of mandarins. 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. 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. US intelligence gathering methods centre around the US intelligence process, composed of the phases Plan, Prepare, Collect, Process, and Produce. But the poor Cantor had to suffer through the mandarin menace sure enough. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. (Source). ". Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. How do you guys block?, I dont know how you guys operate. action is "necessary to support identifiable foreign policy objectives of the United States, and is Well, say that was certainly good news. The ISA consistently attaches itself to other units, either as a temporary or more permanent component. During the 1990's the unit was known as Capacity Gear. _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21361708-1']); 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. Support Veteran Journalism . 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. The ISA team left Beirut in January 1984. 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. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. The monitoring of guerilla factions allowed the Salvadoran Army to successfully defend against their attacks. 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),[citation needed]Mission Support Activity (MSA), Office of Military Support (OMS), Field Operations Group (FOG), Studies and Analysis Activity (SAA), ISA operatives are masters of tradecraft. Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. > Role: HUMINT (human intelligence), SIGINT (signals intelligence), direct action. I didnt think a thing of it, as it had taken me a while to throw that lock open on my first few tries. 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. " A vehicle on time and on target rolled through the barricade. Does the army's intelligence support activity also do direct action? It is after all, not a strictly combat-oriented role like its other Tier 1 operators. and direct action combat. (Source). 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. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); The raid was cancelled over fears that the French and Italians tipped Karadzic off. 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. The unit's history, the politics that have shaped it and the operations it has carried out are recounted in great and fascinating detail. Green Berets are considered unique from other special operators for various reasons, most . It was agreed that FOG would be a Joint organization and roles and tasks were developed for eachalways mindful of the Title 10/50 issues. (amazon.com). He later commanded both the 1/75th Rangers and the 1st Ranger Training Brigade. Featured Book: A top-secret 'Army electronic surveillance team', was sent to aid the Colombians in August of 1989, as a part of Operation Heavy Shadow. His elements were being heavily tasked, and a directed intelligence pipeline was established to FOG. 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]. All Rights Reserved. Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis. In 1979 the need for a dedicated special operations intelligence unit was solidified following the overthrowing of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. The team put together a detailed critique and proposed changes to the organization of the forces, but the document was ignored by the higher officials insisting that security was adequate. The fleet was comprised of 15 different types of aircraft for a combined total of 40 aircraft, all decked out with SIGINT interception technology. (Source), Under the operational codename Centra Spike, the Intelligence Support Activity operated alongside CIA and local police elements to track down Escobar. As a result, ISA was almost disbanded, but Army officials succeeded in ensuring its survival, albeit on a much tighter leash. These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. Both sides would work together on developing the intel, and then a decision would be made regarding a specific operational tasking to avoid statutory conflict. An ISA technician with a SATCOM was provided for the operation to aid in the tracking. Well, ok we arrived at just around 1630hrs and the mandarin began. What is the difference between the Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization programs recently developed vs. previous years? The plan involved flying feet above the turbulent Mediterranean Sea, at night, through hostile airspace. All information and multimedia on Specwar.info comes from a wide number of sources. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. US Army Special Forces | The unit conducts close survelliance with cameras, even going as far as covertly entering terrorists safe houses and planting hidden cameras. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. The terrain was extremely rugged, the enemy was far more entrenched than anticipated, and Murphys Law was in full effect. The survey was successful, which led defense officials to create ad hoc Special Forces units to survey US embassies in hotspots around the world. Working alongside SEASPRAY, a specialized aviation unit that would later form a part of Delta Force, the ISA would conduct aerial SIGINT operations to assist the Salvadoran Army against guerrillas.