Investigative Service (DIS) in 1971 absorbed USAINTC, abandoning
some intelligence activities and focusing more on conducting person-
nel investigations in the United States.ARMY INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY (USAISA). The
Army Intelligence Support Activity was established in 1980 to
provide assistance to a possible second mission to rescue the Ameri-
can hostages in Iran. When the rescue mission did not materialize,
USAISA, known as “the activity,” received a formal charter on 5 July
1983 to provide military operational support for the army, other De-
partment of Defense(DOD) components, and non-DOD agencies;
human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT)
collection in support of the army, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), and
DOD contingency and wartime operations; and clandestine
HUMINT and SIGINT collection in response to high-priority or
quick-reaction requirements. It also acquired limited authority to en-
gage in special activitiespursuant to a presidential findingthat as-
signed the missions to the Defense Department and specifically
tasked the army and USAISA. Over its lifetime, USAISAconducted
operations in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco,
Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and approximately 10
Latin American countries. USAISAgrew in the decade of the 1980s
in personnel, scope of its missions, and the areas of the world where
it operated. However, the secrecy surrounding the work of USAISA,
as well as the perception that USAISAwas not under effective mili-
tary control, sparked calls to disband the organization, which came
about on 1 April 1989. Its component parts eventually found their
way into the Army Special Operations Command.ARMY SECURITY AGENCY (ASA).SeeNATIONALSECURITY
AGENCY.ARNOLD, BENEDICT (1741–1801).A hero of the Revolutionary
War prior to his treason, Benedict Arnold was recruited by his wife,
Peggy Shippen, to spy for the British. He did so probably because he
felt slighted by his comrades and the Continental Congress over is-
sues of military rank, seniority, and pay. Arnold likely was already in
the employ of the British by 1779, corresponding with the British10 • ARMY INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY05-398 (2) Dictionary.qxd 10/20/05 6:27 AM Page 10