The success was such that the operation, planned to last a month, ran for more than three years. Unconventional warfare is defined as "activities that are conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary, and guerrilla force in a denied area." RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. [11][17][18], The ISA's mission was to support Special Operations Forces (primarily 1st SFOD-D and DEVGRU) in counter-terrorist operations and other special operations units. In 2003, the Intelligence Support Activity was transferred from the Army INSCOM to Joint Special Operations Command, where it was renamed the Mission Support Activity. These members function as case officers. During these operations, the ISA operated alongside other combat groups, providing them with signals intelligence support and field intelligence, including HUMINT. General Dozier was freed unharmed by NOCS operators, also known as "The Leatherheads" for their unique headgear, on 28 January 1982. Within these battalions, there is a cyber ops teams, technology ops teams and mission support teams. Sound Like You? Go to Change area in the lower-left corner of the page, and select Sales Insights settings. Years before its actual formation, the need for the ISA, or an operational entity like it, was already being examined. [11] The current organization of ISA is classified but does contain at least three squadrons (Operations, SIGINT and Mission Support/Communications). Intelligence consumers (e.g. In theory, all decisions made by AI are data driven. It is after all, not a strictly combat-oriented role like its other Tier 1 operators. Commanding Officer Biography. 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).It is tasked to collect actionable intelligence in advance of missions by other US special operations forces . "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. (Source), The tactics and techniques of the ISA are some of the most unique among all the JSOC special operations groups. Artificial intelligence is a class of machines that learns and self-improves using a technique known as machine learning. There is insufficient support for OIE and little emphasis on the IE among defense intelligence organizations, hindering efforts to plan and execute OIE. 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). Such as procuring equipment, getting funding for operations/training, and human resources functions. Also available in print form. Spec Ops Profile: Intelligence Support Activity, 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, Cameras Now Rolling on Movie About Churchill's Secret WWII Spec Ops Unit. Biography. The ACE Chief leads one of three TRADOC G-2 lines of effort, Maintaining Continuity of the OE Narrative and ensures OE support to the Army, TRADOC, and Army Futures Command. It must also be digitized so that it is readily discoverable, retrievable, and usable by our many users. The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop for free! FMSOs publishes books, monographs, and papers are integral to critical thinking in the Armys leadership, analytic communities, and military education, and wherever there is a professional interest in what they think they think. FMSOs Operational Environment Watch provides translated selections and analysis from a diverse range of foreign articles and other media that our analysts believe will give military and security experts an added dimension to their critical thinking about the Operational Environment. 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). To set up this activity, make a bulletin board or display in a wing of your office, or launch an online gallery on a platform such as Slack, social media, Imgur, or the iCloud. (Source) Training involves different espionage and intelligence methods that allow ISA members to carry out their essential HUMINT operations. Known as the Confederate Air Force, a joke refencing their title, the Army of Northern Virginia. 122 . The Decisive Action Training Environments, Worldwide Equipping Guide (WEG), and hybrid threat products authored and maintained by ACE Threats are available via the OE Data Integration Network (ODIN). [15], The ISA conducted various missions, including giving protection to the Lebanese leader Bachir Gemayel and attempting to buy a Soviet T-72 tank from Iraq (a deal that was finally stopped by the Iraqis). There are also teams within the ISA who can conduct direct action missions should the need arise. ISA operatives are masters of tradecraft. intelligence activities. In planning for a conflict involving the PRC, the United States should . Like many special operations groups, their active arsenal is not likely a small rigid loadout, it is a range of various weapons that are available to suit the units needs. [21] Under the command of Colonel Michael K. Nagata from 2005 to 2008, Gray Fox continued to operate in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside US Special Operations Forces. Work Role Abilities A0013: Ability to communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well-organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means. Answer (1 of 4): Short answer? Gray Fox operatives sometimes work under the broader umbrella of "Joint Special Operations Task Force 20", which also included DEVGRU, the Army's Delta Force, and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The third known squadron is the Mission Support Squadron. What organizational changes or policy revisions are necessary to enable that arrangement? Operation Anaconda was, by most standards, a very difficult engagement. The terrain was extremely rugged, the enemy was far more entrenched than anticipated, and Murphys Law was in full effect. Eventually, agents had pinpointed the locations of a number of cartel hideouts and high-value targets, including Pablo. and analyze data on the human terrain, cultural factors, and other intelligence sources in support of IO and information-related capability planners and practitioners, such efforts were often short-lived. CH 7-3. Business Practice Acquisition Intelligence is the program office function that identifies and manages . Operatives must also go unnoticed, being able to blend into crowds and not draw attention. Known codenames included CAPACITY GEAR, CENTRA SPIKE, TORN VICTOR, QUIET ENABLE, CEMETERY WIND, and GRAY FOX. Rather than work from assumptions or partial anecdotal reports about student activities, institutions can make decisions tactical _____, despite being an evolving concept, supports tactical action, including counterinsurgency, USAISA was the official name of the unit from 1981 to 1989. CAG are the top of the food chain when it comes to DA, while ISA is arguably top of the food chain for intel. The USD (I&S): Principal Staff Assistant and Advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense on intelligence, counterintelligence, security, sensitive activities, and other intelligence-related matters. Foreign language skills, although highly desired, are not a prerequisite to becoming a member of the ISA, though to be a SIGINT/HUMINT operator in the field with other Special Mission Units, working clandestine operations in non-permissive environments, knowing a minimum of several languages is usually indispensable (e.g. Once a member of the ISA passes the initial selection, it trains alongside different intelligence specialists, including members of the CIA. These are primarily preparation intelligence and tactical/ strategic intelligence for active operations. The task was submitted to the U.S. Army Special Operations Division (SOD), which started Operation Queens Hunter. Directorate of Intelligence, Directorate of Intelligence and Security). This report is part of the RAND Corporation Research report series. In effect, the ISAs exploitation of signal intelligence saved the lives of 100s of US soldiers from the 10th Mountain and 101st Airborne divisions. Subsequently, theyre protected by diplomatic immunity if theyre compromised during an espionage operation. The ISA was given its classified budget of $7million, a secret headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and cover name, the Tactical Concept Activity. [12][13], The Field Operations Group was under command of Colonel Jerry King and operated in Iran, accomplishing various covert intelligence-gathering missions. In 2003, the Intelligence Support Activity was transferred from the Army INSCOM to Joint Special Operations Command, where it was renamed the Mission Support Activity. programs offered at an independent public policy research organizationthe RAND Corporation. Tools like radios, computers and lockpicks are much more crucial to the success of its missions. Intelligence at the _____ level supports planning and conducting of battles and engagements, provides commanders with information on imminent threats to their forces, and provides commanders with obstacle intelligence. 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), Tactical Concept Activity, Tactical Support Team, and Tactical Coordination Detachment,[1] and also nicknamed The Activity and the Army of Northern Virginia,[2] is a United States Army Special Operations unit which serves as the intelligence gathering component of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The ISA's HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) researches, discovers, and describes open source, foreign perspective insights of understudied and unconsidered aspects of the operational environment. However, due to the nature of ISAs mission, its operators are rarely likely to carry weapons into the field. 4th ANGLICO. The breakdown of this squadron isnt known either but it likely contains logistical support for the two operational squadrons. (Source), The failure of Operation Eagle Claw was a turning point for US special operations. Intelligence (Cyberspace) Personnel who collect, process, analyze, and disseminate information from all sources of intelligence on foreign actors' cyberspace programs, intentions, capabilities, research and development, and operational activities. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. [3][4][5] Within JSOC, the unit is often referred to as Task Force Orange. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. The administration saw ground intelligence contingencies as needing improvement if future special operations were to be successful, as the CIA did not always provide all the information needed. Intelligence personnel should receive formal training in supporting IO organizations. [11][19], On 17 December 1981, the senior U.S. Army officer in NATO Land Forces Southern European Command, Brigadier General James L. Dozier, was kidnapped from his apartment in Verona, Italy, by Italian Red Brigades terrorists. I have accrued over 12 years experience in the Government and Defence environments in my career to date. Prior to his assignment as TRADOCs G-2, Mr. Greco served as the Special Assistant for Intelligence to the Commanding General and G-2 of U.S. Army Europe from 2004 to 2011 where he spearheaded the intelligence efforts of a forward deployed theater Army headquarters. One approach is to assign IO liaison officers to intelligence organizations. I&A's State and Local Partner Engagement . [21], Since 2005 onward, the ISA has not always operated under a two-worded Special Access Program (SAP) name (GRAY FOX, CENTRA SPIKE, etc.). Bravo troop tackles the extremely difficult target countries like Syria which had a sophisticated counterintelligence network. IO organizations should promote greater understanding and awareness of OIE and the importance of information-intelligence capability integration, particularly among intelligence personnel and commanders. Once admitted, candidates must pass the operations training course, which teaches infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. Intelligence oversight is a way to ensure that the IC works with the law and balances collecting essential information and protecting individuals' interests and privacy. The ISA also has likely integrated other new intelligence fields into its scope. [9], The Activity and its counterparts 1st SFOD-D, DEVGRU, and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, are the U.S. military's premier Tier 1 Special Mission Units, performing the most complex, classified, and dangerous missions as directed by the National Command Authority. Like all units, the Intelligence Support Activity contains operational detachments as well as support detachments such as intelligence analysis, medical, logistics. (Source). Establishing cover as husband and wife to live in and conduct intelligence collection missions within a target country. Represents the United States in all global diplomatic engagements across the full range of international policy imperatives, including cyber issues . Intelligence organizations should create cross-functional teams to better integrate intelligence functions and direct greater attention to the IE. 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. Operatives can covertly enter enemy buildings to plant cameras. Zones are prepared, field intelligence is gathered, and targets are laid out for other forces. 6th ANGLICO. . The unit selects operatives for deployments based on their language proficiency and their ability to blend in with the locals. IO personnel should work with intelligence personnel to improve coordination and routinize processes. The badge was deliberately designed by Jerry King and other founding members of the unit because of their shared Scottish heritage. During the period leading up to the engagement, as well as potentially during the infamous Battle of Takur Ghar (aka the Battle of Roberts Ridge), ISA operators conducted aggressive SIGINT operations, intercepting enemy communications and feeding them to allied forces. Operating from a Beechcraft model 100 King Air flown by SEASPRAY (a clandestine military aviation unit) based in Honduras, ISA SIGINT specialists monitored communications from Salvadoran leftist guerrillas and fascist death squads, providing intelligence which helped the Salvadoran Army defend against guerrilla attacks. In 2003 the CIA and ISA conducted a joint operation in Somalia. Engagements. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. The cyber operations team extends into other offsets of intelligence gathering, including OSINT, cyber threat intelligence and cyber warfare. Gaining entry into the ISA is not easy; candidates already must be part of a special operations forces group. Some forces were focused on eliminating Iraqi forces and others focused on deposing the ruling Hussein family. The TRADOC DCS, G-2 develops, describes, and delivers the OE in order to support the Armys preparations to fight and win the nations wars. Operatives infiltrated internet cafes in Baghdad and conducted flyover operations in aircraft filled with signal interception gear. 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. (Source) Once the safe house was located, using a mixture of SIGINT, GEOINT and HUMINT, a raid was initiated. 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 selection process for the ISA prioritizes both a physical skill for field operations and a skill for intelligence operations. For almost 70 years, responsibility for conducting human intelligence (HUMINT) has fallen mainly to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). ACE Threats Directorate is the Armys lead to study, design, document, validate, and apply Hybrid Threat and Operational Environment Conditions in support of LDT&E via the Threats Integration Branch (ACE-TI) and the Global Cultural Knowledge Network (GCKN). AI is garbage-in-garbage-out such that it can make poor decisions based on the training data it is feed. The Critical Thinking Enterprise (CTE) is essential to help us constantly review and refresh our understanding of the OE. (Source) At the time, the Salvadoran Army was facing attacks from leftist groups and more lethal right-wing death squads. For deployments based on the IE more than three years within a target country during these,. Was extremely rugged, the intelligence support and field intelligence, directorate of intelligence gathering, including.. Need arise three years within the ISA also has likely integrated other new intelligence fields into its scope known! 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