Under Operation Winter Harvest, a small team of Delta Force technicians was dispatched to Italy to provide assistance with the search for Dozier. 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. 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. A goodly amount of minutes went by. The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. The ISA also has a direct action arm comprised of men and women recruited from the US Army Delta . Special Operations Forces: When the CIA took credit for Centra Spike's work, the Army became furious and a competition was arranged between the two units. This time around, travel through the city was a very dangerous endeavour, with roadblocks everywhere. 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. 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. "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. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. The unit conducts close survelliance with cameras, even going as far as covertly entering terrorists safe houses and planting hidden cameras. Well, say that was certainly good news. "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. Russia's Spetsnaz combines DA and SR units. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. "These commands and white Special Forces like the Green Berets, as well as Air Force combat controllers and commandos of eight different nations report to a mind-boggling array of new command cells and coordination units set up after Sept. 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! The separation did not fit real world requirements which was finally recognized in the aftermath of the failed Iran rescue. The Cantor, busy writing, asked me how it went. Samuel is a King's College graduate with an MA in War Studies. 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 US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. "Today, the ISA operates under the code name Gray Fox. In short order, Langley provided people, training, and a conduit to its various intelligence and planning aspects. (Source) The US military sought to carry out intelligence operations without the direct need of US intelligence agencies. 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. All Rights Reserved. (Source), Additionally, the ISA has acted as a pseudo-security element for the CIA. ISA focuses on gathering human intelligence based on contact with field agents, and signals intelligence (intercepted communications) to support Delta Force and DEVGRU operations. Every modern military relies on intelligence, and the US military is a voracious consumer of intelligence, from both an analytical and functional standpoint. Special Air Service (SAS) | A Congressional hearing was held, and the media revealed the existence of a 'classified military intelligence unit'. The ISA team left Beirut in January 1984. An ISA agent was secretly infiltrated into Beirut where he provided real-time intelligence on the location of the hostages. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. SIGINT operations extended to areas with overlapping guerrilla operations, such as Nicaragua, which was facing the increased foe of the Contras. Are you one of them? 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. ISA. Additionally, ISA operates a number of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and these pilots fit somewhere into the puzzle that is ISA. It is after all, not a strictly combat-oriented role like its other Tier 1 operators. However, Operation Anaconda is one of few of the ISAs Afghanistan operations known to the public. 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. He later commanded both the 1/75th Rangers and the 1st Ranger Training Brigade. "ISA's existence became public in 1982 as a result of a scandal involving US POWs in Vietnam. Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. (Source). The ISA comprises 5 primary elements: administration, training, SIGINT, HUMINT and direct action. 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 planners in DAMO-ODSO were acutely aware of the different legal authorities contained in Title 10 and Title 50 statutes. This is how we block. The intelligence gathering part was named "Buckeye" and consisted of CIA, NSA and Torn Victor operatives. But it had no effect on me or what I was doing not for now at least. ISA would operate under a host of cover names to confuse anyone without the need to know. Delta's deployment was stalled by bureaucratic dealings, so ISA mobilized its most compartmentalized unit, the direct action element, the shooters. Prior to Saddams capture, over 40 members of his family were captured and interrogated to determine his whereabouts with little success. PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. The situation looked dire. Afghanistan: The Fox and The Anaconda. "During the 1983 American invasion of Grenada, special forces units were plagued by lack of useful and up-to-date intelligence. The Cantor said nothing. They set up protection for the president and installed a security system. 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. 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. I didnt think a thing of it, as it had taken me a while to throw that lock open on my first few tries. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop for free! (Source). Grey Dynamics is a Private Intelligence firm based out of London with analysts, researchers, and investigators worldwide. Special Operations Forces are the elite commandos of the U.S. military. This extra length concealed the main eavesdropping antennas, while others could be lowered from the belly while in flight. (Source). A vehicle on time and on target rolled through the barricade. 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). Under the umbrella group of Joint Special Operations Task Force 20, the Intelligence Support Activity helped track down and locate Saddam Hussein. Royal Cape, Granite Rock and Powder Keg were some, Centra Spike and Torn Victor being other possible cover names. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. This has been more visible in their operations in Afghanistan, Operation Winter Harvest and Operation Queens Hunter. Geo, take a mandarin with you, the Cantor directed without looking at me. Green Berets are considered unique from other special operators for various reasons, most . The ISA also has likely integrated other new intelligence fields into its scope. Exactly who would execute the direct-action operations, would be determined after the intelligence determine the situational necessities. It is tasked to collect actionable intelligence in advance of missions by other US special operations forces . })(); Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. The survey was successful, which led defense officials to create ad hoc Special Forces units to survey US embassies in hotspots around the world. Wickham did transfer authority to the ACSI with predictable and less than beneficial results. Army did likewise through DAMO-ODSO. Highly detailed knowledge of an infiltration location is also key. This is a potentially significant compromise. the Cantor lamented in earnest. (Source) These collectively will compose some of the roles within a primary battalion of the ISA. 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. (Source), The tactics and techniques of the ISA are some of the most unique among all the JSOC special operations groups. "In May 1982, Deputy Secretary of Defense Frank Charles Carlucci III called the ISA 'uncoordinated and uncontrolled.' Case officers also target and recruit potential assets. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ 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. I could tell by her skunk-eye that she had a dagger in the pipe ready to launch, so I lightened up. 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. Sadly, the team's evaluation did not serve to upgrade American security standards, and a truck bomb exploded from within 40 feet of the embassy entrance later that year. (Source). Tools like radios, computers and lockpicks are much more crucial to the success of its missions. Upon return to the Pentagon, he re-assigned the ACSI POC out of FOG-related issues. The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. As with both the establishment of JSOC, TF160/SOAR and Ranger SOF, the task was not easy. Cake duty! Intelligence Support Activity provides US special forces with intelligence gatherers, man hunters, assassins and deep penetration agents. 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 forms of intelligence gathered by the Activity include: HUMINT (HUMan INTellgence) The CIA was leading extraordinary rendition operations in Somalia in conjunction with the ISA and the help of local warlords. "On December 17, 1981, Colonel James Dozier, the highest ranking American army officer in the NATO southern European Command was kidnapped by members of the Red Brigade terrorist faction. It was completely hidden from view, covering its existence with a series of regularly changing code names like Centra Spike, Royal Cape, and Grey Fox. 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. by Michael Smith "Known as the Intelligence Support Activity, or ISA, when it was established in . We locked the chain back up behind it and returned to base. The selection process for the ISA prioritizes both a physical skill for field operations and a skill for intelligence operations. They were never used. ISA members conducted extensive interviews with Special Forces members in the country, Lebanese Army and CIA and embassy officials. Political bickering stalled the deployment of the agents, and finally, the operation was approved. USSOCOM receives, reviews, coordinates and prioritizes all Defense Department plans that support the global campaign against terrorism. I grabbed assault rifles and ammo can from our stash in the attic of the safe house and reluctantly handed one to Kay-Kay: You keep this damned thing on safe at all times! The OSS was a direct action "group" that was directly involved in sabotage, infiltration, combat and even assassination. Centra Spike was withdrawn in 1993 for a temporary assignment in Somalia to aid US special forces there, but resumed the hunt later in the year. Read Next: Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 operators on the loose? (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. Part of a Delta-DEVGRU task force, ISA provided intelligence on the whereabouts of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects. Units in Sarajevo tracked Karadzic electronically, while other agents were on the ground in Pale, Karadzic's home. The force is supposedly around 250-275 operators. Additionally, these operative can remotely turn on a cellphone thats been turned off, which allows them to hear everything going on near it. 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. 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. The vast majority of the ISAs operations in Afghanistan are still classified. Bravo and Delta troops utilize commercial or non-official cover. 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. The US military and many of its allies consider DA one of the basic special operations missions. Years before its actual formation, the need for the ISA, or an operational entity like it, was already being examined. US Army Special Forces | Reconnaissance overflights revealed a possible location where POWs, still believed to be held by the Vietnamese early in the year. 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. Both Army and the Agency recognized the changed nature of the world and the requirements of the emerging terrorist/hostage issues. What does one actually do with such persons? And with that our boss, the Cantor, doled out a mission for a two-man team of mandarins. "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. 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. Once a member of the ISA passes the initial selection, it trains alongside different intelligence specialists, including members of the CIA. His elements were being heavily tasked, and a directed intelligence pipeline was established to FOG. ISA was close to making the exchange, but the deal fell through at the last minute. A case officer is someone who handles a foreign asset by giving them collection requirements and ensuring their safety. Additionally, conceal meant can be a factor in weapon selection too. Key to the concept was that there would be a single in-house element (FOG) that either side could use e.g. The ISA consistently attaches itself to other units, either as a temporary or more permanent component. The unit is organized into several elements. 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. Developed hunt methodology for Albuquerque-based Counter Human Traffic organization DeliverFund llc as an Intelligence Analyst and Network Disruption Team Leader in the Get The Daily Situation. An operation was planned for their rescue, with Seaspray, Delta Force and the ISA all playing a role. geo sends. The mission support teams help actualize the other major goal of supporting other forces in a battlespace. 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 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. Zones are prepared, field intelligence is gathered, and targets are laid out for other forces. 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. According to The Secret War by William M. Arkin, published in the Los Angeles Times on October 27, 2002, "The Army created a highly compartmentalized organization that could collect clandestine intelligence independent of the rest of the U.S. intelligence community and follow through with covert military action. US Army Rangers | 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. 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. Talk about close target recce. Thats pretty frickin ballsy. Two people with a lockpick kit and a camera. 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? Primarily acting as enablers for JSOC special mission units. 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. (Source), Outlined as the primary purpose of the ISA since its inception, intelligence gathering is one of its most essential tasks. FOG became permanent and renamed ISA on March 3, 1981. 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. Not only did this demonstrate that the ISA was functionally effective, it showed that it could operate alongside not only various elements of the US military, but foreign military elements as well. 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. They must maintain a demeanour of trustworthiness and calmness, so any approached HUMINT sources feel safe and trusted. According to The Secret War by William M. Arkin, published in the Los Angeles Times on October 27, 2002, "The Army created a highly compartmentalized organization that could collect clandestine intelligence independent of the rest of the U.S. intelligence community and follow through with covert military action. 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. (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. They are called upon to perform the toughest duties in the armed forces, and their actions directly affect the protection of America's freedom. 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. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. The ISA is perhaps the most major outlier doctrinally from its other, better known, counterparts within JSOC and SOCOM as a whole. US Navy SEALs | Each chapter of the book brings a new chapter of the Activity's operations like Lebanon, where its efforts to rescue US hostages was stymied by its own government or Bosnia where it hunted down war criminals. Lgion trangre (French Foreign Legion) | They also have direct action elements within their battalions, alongside specialists in HUMINT and SIGINT. COL Nightingale is a retired Army Colonel who served two tours in Vietnam with Airborne and Ranger (American and Vietnamese) units. 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. When hostages were taken in the Tehran embassy in 1980, it became clear that FOG needed to become a larger group with more resources. Its scope is quite large, and it often works in support of JSOC, SOCOM and even other intelligence agencies. If some elements (especially photos) were originally yours please consider Specwar.info to host for free. 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). 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 debris revealed a spider hole and as an operator prepared a grenade, Saddam poked his head out of the hole. ISA intelligence specialists, K9 units, security experts and demolition experts were sent to the country undercover as military advisers. "When the first rescue attempt of the hostages in Iran failed, a second attempt, code-named Honey Badger, immediately started. These techniques include intelligence gathering, infiltration and intelligence support. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. 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. ISA operatives are highly skilled in the various arts of HUMINT gathering including: (Source). "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. They also provided protection for numerous Arabian princes, and established good contacts while down there. For the four main battalions, numbering in total over 300 operators, there are different roles members could fall into. (amazon.com). One such organization, the Red Brigades, composed of far-left communist-leaning extremists, kidnapped U.S. Brigadier General James Dozier. 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. The most important thing to know is that intelligence drives "direct action" operations. Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era by Steven Emerson 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. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. . 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(Source). 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). and direct action combat. 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 order never came; a secret arms-for-hostages deal was cut by the American government. The Cantor finally said something, and he said it very very loudly when the mandarins lost control of some weapons and encrypted radios. 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 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. 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 . 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