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). Case officers also target and recruit potential assets. [2], Gray Fox was the codename used by the ISA at the beginning of the War in Afghanistan. This symbol of failure was later deemed no longer appropriate. The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. However, U.S. Army participants in the operation have hinted that the mid-January arrests, the interrogation of those arrested, and follow-on investigations led to the eventual location of the Red Brigades hideout where Dozier was being held, in an apartment over a store in Padova. Engagements. It is unclear how often the ISA interrogates subjects, though given their covert operations they likely at least interrogate high-value targets. 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. 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). 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. (Source). In 1989, the then USAISA commander John G. Lackey sent a telex "terminating" the USAISA term and his special access program GRANTOR SHADOW. [15][16] Colonel Jerry King became the ISA's first commander. By engaging students in multiple intelligence activities that teach to each of the eight different types of intelligences, you will be able to help all of your students succeed. 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. I have a great opportunity as a BI Manager at Search Discovery to grow in a consulting environment. It was Delta Forces first mission and a horrific failure. (Source) This allowed the forces involved in the surrounding Shahikot Valley to be more informed of enemy movements and positions. [11] ISA included three main operations branches (Command, SIGINT and Operations) and an analysis branch, whose name changed over the years (e.g. General Dozier was freed unharmed by NOCS operators, also known as "The Leatherheads" for their unique headgear, on 28 January 1982. 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 Most candidates assigned to the Operations, Communications, and/or SIGINT squadrons go through an assessment and selection course, as well as a lengthy background investigation and psychological testing. Apply to Intelligence Analyst, Examiner, Junior Program Analyst and more! [6], The unit is known by many names. 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. veterans. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a long history of gathering, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence to support investigations that help prevent attacks and protect the nation from terrorists, spies, and criminals of all kinds. Intelligence personnel should receive formal training in supporting IO organizations. What does your signature ensure? Prepare operational pre-briefs and act as a gate keeper for future engagements. The operational name is 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta or 1st SFOD-D. (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. Typically the ISA pulls from the Green Berets due to their prior special operations experience, language skills, and autonomy. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. Acquisition Intelligence Policy. Fulfilling a Crucial Role: National Intelligence Support Teams Capt. I am currently an Engagement Manager employed with Downer Professional Services, achieving the advancement of Capability Development within the Department of Defence. Under the guiding hand of JSOC, the ISA operated alongside other JSOC and CIA elements, under the codename Gray Fox. These operatives mirror the function of CIA case officers and even go through CIA training at the Farm in Virginia. Schwille, Michael, Anthony Atler, Jonathan Welch, Christopher Paul, and Richard C. Baffa, Intelligence Support for Operations in the Information Environment: Dividing Roles and Responsibilities Between Intelligence and Information Professionals. Theater Army country support plans 3-2, page 7 . Primarily acting as enablers for JSOC special mission units. 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. Who could collect the needed information and conduct the required analyses, and through what processes? Dozier kidnapping, Operation Winter Harvest, US Army Intelligence and Security Command, United States Army Special Operations Command, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, "The Pentagon's Spies: Documents Detail Histories of Once Secret Spy Units", "Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)", "Meet the Shadow Warrior Leading the Fight Against the Islamic State", "Task Force Orange: Supporting Delta Force", "Prepared Statement to be Given by MG William E. Odom, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of Army Before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on 8 June 1982", International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, "Memorandum for Director, Defense Intelligence Agency", "United States Army Intelligence Support Activity 1986 Historical Report", "United States Army Intelligence Support Activity 1987 Historical Report", "Secret Army Intelligence Unit Lived On After 1980 Iran Mission", "Army Regulation 6909504 Military Intelligence Civilian Excepted Career Program", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intelligence_Support_Activity&oldid=1142221543, "The Activity", "The Army of Northern Virginia". Though its history is relatively brief and known missions it has undertaken even briefer, it has become one of the most interesting and influential special operations groups at the disposal of JSOC and the US military. The exact breakdown of this squadron isnt known, however it is a reasonable assumption that its divided into troops based on the specific mission, such as airborne SIGINT or ground SIGINT. Another way would be to move form another JSOC command, or from any Special Forces capa. During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. It is a Tier 1 unit under the direct supervision of the Department of Defense along with SEAL Team 6, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, and . The unit helped spearhead the search for Saddam Hussein and his family after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Go to Change area in the lower-left corner of the page, and select Sales Insights settings. The CTE trains Army leaders to think critically about the OE and reaches out to academia, industry, and government. The vast majority of the ISAs operations in Afghanistan are still classified. What are the barriers or challenges to doing so? Partnership engagement encompasses all activities associated with cooperating and collaborating with US allies and friends in the research, development, production and support of weapon systems and related equipment. This situation is compounded by a lack of awareness of intelligence organizations' processes and requirements among information operations staffs. When hostages were taken in the Tehran embassy in 1980, it became clear that FOG needed to become a larger group with more resources. In 2009, the unit was referred to as INTREPID SPEAR, until this was revealed to have been leaked in an email to the Pentagon. Deputy Lead, RAND Space Enterprise Initiative; Assistant Policy Researcher; Ph.D. More technical training on SIGINT, such as transmission and signals interpretation is also a component of the training. The debris revealed a spider hole and as an operator prepared a grenade, Saddam poked his head out of the hole. Before entering Civil Service, Mr. Greco served 22 years on active duty as an Army intelligence officer in a variety of important command and staff positions. Intelligence leadership should assign primary responsibility for analysis of the IE to a single organization, which would establish a foundation for institutionalizing capability integration and raise awareness of the associated challenges. This robust OE, which spans the present through 2050, is applied to support Leader Development, Training, and Education (LDT&E), and Concepts and Capability Development. Gaps in understanding of each community's roles, responsibilities, and processes have important implications for operations in the information environment (OIE), which require a significant degree of coordination between the personnel who provide intelligence support to these operations and the personnel who are responsible for planning and conducting them. Afghanistan: The Fox and The Anaconda. The Network Engagement Team trains members of the joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational (JIIM) community focusing on integration of social network analysis to improve understanding of the friendly, neutral, and adversarial networks that exist within the OE. Gaps in understanding, including the lack of a shared lexicon, impede close coordination between the intelligence and IO communities, risking missed opportunities and reduced effectiveness. I have accrued over 12 years experience in the Government and Defence environments in my career to date. (Source) The US military sought to carry out intelligence operations without the direct need of US intelligence agencies. Human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) are the most common products of their operations. It built a reputation for daring, flexibility and a degree of lawlessness. This is a Tier Two Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service (DISES) position. BS 8-10, MS 6-8, PhD 3-5. 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. A case officer is someone who handles a foreign asset by giving them collection requirements and ensuring their safety. It has also gone by a number of two-word Special Access Program names, including OPTIMIZE TALENT, ROYAL CAPE, CENTRA SPIKE, CAPACITY GEAR, GRANTOR SHADOW, TORN VICTOR, QUIET ENABLE, OPAQUE LEAF, CEMETERY WIND, GRAY FOX, TITRANT RANGER, and INTREPID SPEAR. 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. 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'). ISA members are often multilingual. Our OE must be timely, accurate, relevant, and predictive. Editor's Note: The following text is from FM 2-0, Intelligence, 6 July 2018, Chapter 4, "Intelligence Staffs and Units." National and Joint Intelligence Support National intelligence organizations employ specialized re-sources and dedicated personnel to gain information about potential adversaries, events, and other worldwide intel- Drawing upon decades of experience, RAND provides research services, systematic analysis, and innovative thinking to a global clientele that includes government agencies, foundations, and private-sector firms. A ground reconnaissance was needed to determine if people seen on photographs were really American POWs. In 1979 the need for a dedicated special operations intelligence unit was solidified following the overthrowing of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. 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 OEE must enable the delivery, application, and use and reuse of information. Subscribe to the weekly Policy Currents newsletter to receive updates on the issues that matter most. Now it's USAPAB. The ISA performed several operations mainly in Latin America and the Middle East during the 1980s, but also in East Africa, South-East Asia, and Europe. The badge was deliberately designed by Jerry King and other founding members of the unit because of their shared Scottish heritage. However, this coordination is hindered by a lack of understanding of each community's roles and responsibilities, a lack of shared processes, and low priority across the joint force, prompting a review of these challenges and the development of a comprehensive set of solutions to address them. The US wanted a team to covertly survey the situation on the ground and provide officials with a survey of the US embassy. Colonel John Lackey served as unit commander from 1986 to 1989. Some of the more well-documented operations of the ISA shed light on the general nature of the ISAs overall operations. The Italian police and intelligence agencies have never officially disclosed how they located General Dozier in late January 1982. 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. Nowadays the ISA focuses on the preparation of the battlespace for military operations across the globe. 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. (Source), Under the operational codename Centra Spike, the Intelligence Support Activity operated alongside CIA and local police elements to track down Escobar. [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. According to Sean Naylor in Not a Good Day to Die, most (but certainly not all) Activity operatives come from United States Army Special Forces, due to their self-reliance and specialized skill-set. SIGINT operations extended to areas with overlapping guerrilla operations, such as Nicaragua, which was facing the increased foe of the Contras. They are called upon to perform the toughest duties in the armed forces, and their actions directly affect the protection of America's freedom. Operatives must also go unnoticed, being able to blend into crowds and not draw attention. United States Army Intelligence Support Activity USAISA ISA Mission Support ActivityMSA The Activity The Army of Northern Virginia [1] Office of Military Support INSCOM JSOC Provides ISR capability with supporting infrastructure for collection, communications and processing, exploitation and dissemination in support of commands engaged in combat operations Eventually, agents had pinpointed the locations of a number of cartel hideouts and high-value targets, including Pablo. Like all units, the Intelligence Support Activity contains operational detachments as well as support detachments such as intelligence analysis, medical, logistics. 6th ANGLICO. Used to be USASED. intelligence activities. requirements driven. [11], Operation Grand Eagle-aka "BOHICA" was an ISA Clandestine Armed Operation to seek intelligence on the fate of US military and or CIA personnel who may have been captured and left behind in Laos after the Vietnam war. The Intelligence Support Activity conducts its operations during and in advance of US military operations. The Evolution of Operations in the Information Environment, Categorizing Challenges to Intelligence Support for Operations in the Information Environment, Solutions to Improve Intelligence Support for Operations in the Information Environment, Information-Related Capabilities, Operations, and Activities. Rather than disbanding the unit, it was expanded. 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. Samuel is a King's College graduate with an MA in War Studies. The vast majority of their operations are clouded not just in shadow, but in complete darkness. Sign in to Dynamics 365 Sales, and go to the Sales Hub app. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. 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. 122 . Notably, from 2007 to 2008, Mr. Greco deployed to Iraq where he served as the Assistant CJ2 in Iraq, ensuring intelligence support to the entire Combined Joint Task Force during the highly successful Sunni Awakening that changed the course of the war there. The ACE is comprised of four directorates: G6 Command, Control, Communications & Computers, Office of Internal Review and Audit Compliance, G-2 OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT ENTERPRISE WEBSITE, OE TRAINING APPLICATIONS HUB (CAC LOGIN REQUIRED), There are core OE narratives that describe the changing and complex conditions the Army will face whether we have a mission next month, next year, in 2035 or beyond. All rights reserved. There are many examples to show that Program and Project Managers (PMs) who consider intelligence routinely, and effectively plan for future intelligence needs, deliver more capable and resilient systems than those who do not. Where is the boundary between routine information gathering and formal intelligence? He also leads the Armys enterprises for Critical Thinking, Mad Scientist Initiative, Foreign Military Studies Office, Global Cultural Knowledge Network, and the Operational Environment Center. Information may be released to federal agencies based on formal accreditation as specified in official directives, regulations, and demonstrated need-to-know; to federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement, intelligence, or security agencies in connection with a lawful investigation under their jurisdiction; and to commanders/agency . tactical _____, despite being an evolving concept, supports tactical action, including counterinsurgency, ISA operatives often work in disguise and undercover. TRADOC G-2 Mad Scientist is a TRADOC initiative and a community of action that continually explores the future through collaborative partnerships and continuous dialogue with academia, industry and government. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. 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. FOG was developed because of a perceived need for greater intelligence-gathering capabilities for the U.S. military. That operation had highlighted the U.S. shortfall in intelligence gathering. Rather than work from assumptions or partial anecdotal reports about student activities, institutions can make decisions Military.com Few special operations forces are clad in as much secrecy as the Intelligence Support Activity. Intelligence Support Battalion LEADERSHIP. They need highly intelligent people who can operate on their own like a CIA spook. They must maintain a demeanour of trustworthiness and calmness, so any approached HUMINT sources feel safe and trusted. 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. Commanding Officer Biography. USAISA was the official name of the unit from 1981 to 1989. Having informed the U.S. government officials about the mission, Gritz was first told to abort his "mission," but was eventually approached by the ISA. Groups inside and outside of the IC conduct oversight. Support for OIE is often sidelined by other intelligence priorities, partly as a result of shortfalls in how IO staffs request intelligence support and partly due to the relatively low priority of IE- and OIE-related support within intelligence organizations. 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. FOG became permanent and renamed ISA on March 3, 1981. Grey Dynamics is a Private Intelligence firm based out of London with analysts, researchers, and investigators worldwide. Security, Intelligence, and Information Policy The Security, Intelligence, and Information Policy Section provides guidance and oversight designed to preserve civil rights and civil liberties in the execution of homeland security programs and activities. The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. [22] Candidates also come from the other military branches. 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. [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. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School, Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND, and Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School. In 2003 four troops: A,B,C, and D made up the squadron. James M. Lose, USMC Introduction In the early and mid-1990s, even as the US Department of Defense worked to reduce its Cold War-size budgets, it found its military forces becoming embroiled in numerous "low-intensity conflicts" around the world. Intelligence Support Activity - Operations The ISA has been at the forefront (although very much in the background) of most of America's special operations since the early 80s. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Highly detailed knowledge of an infiltration location is also key. These operatives have a cover in the commercial sector, typically as an international businessperson. A confirmation message is displayed in a tab. However, due to the nature of ISAs mission, its operators are rarely likely to carry weapons into the field. This is especially useful in countries where men and women socializing is frowned upon outside of the family. 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 ). [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. The data on student engagement has the advantage of providing information on what students are actually doing. Being highly proficient in the collection of HUMINT and SIGINT has made them a very effective, yet specifically dedicated, intelligence task force.