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The Special Activities Division (SAD) is a division of the Central Intelligence Agency's former Directorate of Operations, now the National Clandestine Service, responsible for covert paramilitary operations, effected when the U.S. Government does not wish to be overtly associated with such activities. As such, members of the unit, when on missions, normally do not carry any objects or clothing (e.g., military uniforms) that would associate them with the United States. SAD has been changed to Special Services Office in recent years. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... CIA redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Clandestine service be merged into this article or section. ... Paramilitary designates forces whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force, but which are not regarded as having the same status. ... ... US Marine Corps MARPAT uniform Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces of various nations. ...

Certain elements of SAD are believed to be an outgrowth of the CIA's Phoenix Program and the SOG (Studies and Observations Group), both of which were created and active during the Vietnam War. The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... The Phoenix Program (Vietnamese: Kế Hoạch Phụng Hoàng, a word related to fenghuang, the Chinese phoenix) or Operation Phoenix was a military, intelligence, and internal security coordination program designed by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Vietnam War. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with MACV-SOG. (Discuss) The Studies and Observations Group (SOG) was an extremely secret American special force which conducted unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

The unit's existence became known in the autumn of 2001, when U.S. special operations forces arrived in Afghanistan to hunt down Al Qaeda leaders and aid the Northern Alliance against the troops of the ruling Taliban. The CIA paramilitary teams, in conjunction with Special Operations Forces and the Afghan military, provided intelligence for U.S. air strikes. Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. ...

The division has several hundred personnel, most of them former members of Delta Force, Navy SEALs, (including DEVGRU), Army Rangers, Special Forces and USMC Force Recon teams. The CIA's formal position for these individuals is "Paramilitary Operations Officer". Other members of the SAD are drawn from within the ranks of the CIA's National Clandestine Service division. On occasion, the Agency has been known to employ civilians for specialized paramilitary activities. The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) — commonly known as Delta in the U.S. Army, Delta Force by civilians, and Combat Applications Group by the Department of Defense — is a Special Operations Force (SOF) and an integral element of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). ... SEALs in from the water. ... SEAL Team SIX patch The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group; otherwise known as NAVSPECWARDEVGRU, the NSWDG, or simply as DEVGRU; is the premier Navy SEAL unit and the United States Navys primary Counter-Terrorism and covert operation unit. ... The 75th Ranger Regiment —also known as the United States Army Rangers— is a special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. ... For other uses, see Special forces (disambiguation). ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Official Name USMC Force Reconnaissance Force Recon Marines Branch United States Marine Corps Command Structure MARFORPAC; MEF I, III; MEU(SOC) 11, 13, 15, 31 MARFORLANT, MEF II; MEU(SOC) 22, 24, 26 MARFORRES, Reserves Description MEU(SOC) Deep Recon Capability, Special Operations Capability Readiness Any shore in the world...

The primary strengths of SAD paramilitary officers are agility, adaptability, and deniability. They often operate in small teams, typically with six men with military training and knowledge of foreign languages. These officers often operate clandestinely in remote locations behind enemy lines to carry out raids, espionage, counter-intelligence, sabotage, guerilla warfare, and hostage rescue missions. They also play a large part in recruiting, training, and leading indigenous forces in operations. SAD officers are trained at Camp Peary (also known as "The Farm") in Virginia, and at privately owned black ops training centers around the United States. Within the international intelligence community, the SAD is considered to be one of the most skilled and lethal forces in the world. In politics and espionage, deniability is the ability of a powerful player or actor to avoid blowback by secretly arranging for an action to be taken on their behalf by a third party. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... Counter Intelligence A uk label started and owned by John Machielsen. ... For other uses, see Sabotage (disambiguation). ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from Spanish (from guerra meaning war) used to describe small combat groups. ... Camp Peary is a military reservation in York County, Virginia. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Johnny Micheal Spann, the first American casualty in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, was a member of the Special Activities Division.[1] Johnny Micheal Mike Spann (March 1, 1969 – November 25, 2001) was the first American killed in combat after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. ... For other uses of War in Afghanistan, see War in Afghanistan (disambiguation). ...

SAD officers have operated covertly since the mid 1970s in places such as Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Libya, Iraq, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Chile, Bosnia, Serbia, Somalia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. This article is about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ...

References

• Woodward, Bob (November 18 2001). "Secret CIA Units Playing a Central Combat Role". Washington Post Staff Writer: A01.