The ISA initially had only support activity and HUMINT gathering functions. I&A's State and Local Partner Engagement . Primarily acting as enablers for JSOC special mission units. The selection process and training for special operations groups are secret. DPC/RSU - West. 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- USSOCOM receives, reviews, coordinates and prioritizes all Defense Department plans that support the global campaign against terrorism. During Anaconda, ISA intelligence helped save both the 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne Division at Takur Ghar. In addition, he commanded units in the 10th Mountain Division and served in other key intelligence positions throughout the Army. (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. Additionally, ISA gathers SIGINT primarily by intercepting enemy communications or sending an agent to physically bug a target. Operatives tradecraft for avoiding detection is impeccable. This situation is compounded by a lack of awareness of intelligence organizations' processes and requirements among information operations staffs. Operationally, the ISA is a dedicated intelligence group, doing the intelligence leg work for special operations groups. The ISA also has likely integrated other new intelligence fields into its scope. While Delta and DEVGRU focus on direct engagement and specialized combat tactics, the ISA conducts intelligence and espionage operations at a tactical level. The unit helped spearhead the search for Saddam Hussein and his family after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. US intelligence gathering methods centre around the US intelligence process, composed of the phases Plan, Prepare, Collect, Process, and Produce. Under the umbrella group of Joint Special Operations Task Force 20, the Intelligence Support Activity helped track down and locate Saddam Hussein. The trials of the ISA in Queens Hunter were not the only time the team was tested in South America. 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). I will support business intelligence engagements for multiple clients across various solution . As a military officer, he was awarded the Legion of Merit and multiple awards of the Defense and Army Meritorious Service Medals. [12][13], The Field Operations Group was under command of Colonel Jerry King and operated in Iran, accomplishing various covert intelligence-gathering missions. In 1989, the then USAISA commander John G. Lackey sent a telex "terminating" the USAISA term and his special access program GRANTOR SHADOW. Answer (1 of 4): Short answer? To achieve mission needs and priorities the OEE must be able to provide all support and sustainment activities areas of resource. I have a great opportunity as a BI Manager at Search Discovery to grow in a consulting environment. For almost 70 years, responsibility for conducting human intelligence (HUMINT) has fallen mainly to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Rather than disbanding the unit, it was expanded. Traditions (religious, political, societal). The ISA would provide actionable intelligence collection, pathfinding, and operational support. While the nerdiest Green Berets and special operators comprise the bulk of ISA, there are also non-traditional operatives who have not passed the selection course. 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. CH 7-3. Business Practice Acquisition Intelligence is the program office function that identifies and manages . 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 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 ). Some of the more well-documented operations of the ISA shed light on the general nature of the ISAs overall operations. All rights reserved. In addition, DOD joint intelligence centers (JICs) attached to each combatant command provide a common, coordinated picture of conditions in each theater of operations by fusing national and theater intelligence information from across the IC into all-source assessments and estimates tailored to the needs of the commander. Support the Director on day-to-day mission planning. After the cancellation of Operation Credible Sport, the FOG was not disbanded but enlarged. The operational name is 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta or 1st SFOD-D. Are you one of them? The work accomplished by the FOG was successful, however the second attempt (called Operation Credible Sport) never took place because the air assets needed were not available.[11][14]. It is important to understand that the US intelligence community is . You respond to one of the recruitment opportunities that pop up a few times a year from one of the units that performs these types of selections. Another way would be to move form another JSOC command, or from any Special Forces capa. Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) researches, discovers, and describes open source, foreign perspective insights of understudied and unconsidered aspects of the operational environment. These intelligence gathering methods outline how intelligence is gathered and what is done with it afterwards. The ISAs execution of SIGINT monitoring was so successful that the month-long operation was extended to three years. 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) Once the safe house was located, using a mixture of SIGINT, GEOINT and HUMINT, a raid was initiated. (Source). The US recognized the usefulness of this unit and began surveying embassies across the world. 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. [20] However, the unit continued under a series of different Top Secret codenames which are changed every two years. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Candidates then are put through a battery of assessment and selection courses as well as background checks and psychological testing. He also received the George C. Marshall Award (The White Briefcase) as the Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. 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. [3][4][5] Within JSOC, the unit is often referred to as Task Force Orange. The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PardeeRAND.edu) is home to the only Ph.D. and M.Phil. However, the ISA intercepted Iraqi communications that corroborated intelligence collected from his family members. 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. It later took on other roles like SIGINT as battlefield requirements changed over time. There is a need for intelligence personnel who are responsible for specific IE- and OIE-related tasks, as well as ensuring effective coordination between the intelligence and IO communities. The most secretive unit out of the four, the Intelligence Support Activity was created after the failed Iranian embassy hostage rescue operation in 1980 to provide the then-nascent SOCOM and the . This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. such as PRC intelligence activities or attacks against the U.S. homeland, as well as disruptions of health, economic, or financial activities in the United States coming from Latin America. The ISAs HUMINT collectors gather information from human sources via coercion and interrogation depending on the asset. Its members often worked closely with Joint Special Operations Command and the Central Intelligence Agency. The badge was deliberately designed by Jerry King and other founding members of the unit because of their shared Scottish heritage. This symbol of failure was later deemed no longer appropriate. The Intelligence Support Activitys operations in El Salvador, under Operation Queens Hunter, demonstrated the effectiveness of the newly founded squadrons mastery of SIGINT and cross-departmental cooperation. Additionally, ISA recruits from other branches of the US military and potentially elsewhere in the intelligence community. These deployments include Operation Winter Harvest, Operation Queens Hunter and their role in Operation Anaconda. The eventual shootout that ended Pablos life may not have directly involved the ISA, however, its efforts certainly aided in the eventual locating and killing of the cartel boss. Oversight Bodies. Little is known about the organization or its activities, but it is clear that. Case officers also target and recruit potential assets. (Source). During the operations training course, candidates are taught infiltration techniques, advanced air operations, offensive and off-road driving, personal defensive measures and communications. The ISA comprises 5 primary elements: administration, training, SIGINT, HUMINT and direct action. The debris revealed a spider hole and as an operator prepared a grenade, Saddam poked his head out of the hole. 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. Operation Winter Harvest Operation Desert Storm Operation Gothic Serpent Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom. Close the tab and proceed to set up email engagement. the President, executive branch decision makers, cabinet secretaries, armed services leadership, etc) define what intelligence is needed to support their decision 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. [citation needed]. 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. Through their mastery of SIGINT, the ISA quickly got on the task of intercepting radio and telephone transmissions. Mr. Greco holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (with honors) from Hunter College, City University of New York, a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and Staff College, and a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). 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