Special Activities Division

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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 themselves with the United States.

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 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.

The division has several hundred personnel, most of them former members of Delta Force, Navy SEALs, (including SEAL Team Six), 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 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.

Johnny Micheal Spann, the first American casualty in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, was a member of the Special Activities Division.[1]

SAD officers have operated covertly since the mid 1970's in places such as Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Libya, Iraq, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Chile, Bosnia, Serbia, Somalia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.