| Special Activities Center | |
|---|---|
 Directorate of Operations Seal | |
| Active | 2016–present (as Special Activities Center) Unknown/1947–2016 (as Special Activities Division) |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Paramilitary clandestine force |
| Size | Classified |
| Part of | |
| Garrison/HQ | George Bush Center for Intelligence Langley, Virginia, U.S. |
| Motto(s) | Tertia Optio (English: "Third Option") |
| Known operations | |
| Commanders | |
| President of the United States | Joe Biden |
| Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | William J. Burns |
| Deputy Director of CIA for Operations | David Marlowe |
The Special Activities Center (SAC) is a division of the United States Central Intelligence Agency responsible for covert and paramilitary operations. The unit was named Special Activities Division (SAD) prior to 2015.[1] Within SAC there are two separate groups: SAC/SOG (Special Operations Group) for tactical paramilitary operations and SAC/PAG (Political Action Group) for covert political action.[2]
The Special Operations Group is responsible for operations that include clandestine or covert operations with which the US government does not want to be overtly associated.[3] As such, unit members, called Paramilitary Operations Officers and Specialized Skills Officers, do not typically wear uniforms.[4]
If they are compromised during a mission, the US government may deny all knowledge.[5] The group generally recruits personnel from special mission units within the U.S. Special Operations community.[6]
SOG Paramilitary Operations Officers account for a majority of Distinguished Intelligence Cross and Intelligence Star recipients during conflicts or incidents that elicited CIA involvement. These are the highest two awards for valor within the CIA in recognition of distinguished valor and excellence in the line of duty. SOG operatives also account for the majority of the stars displayed on the Memorial Wall at CIA headquarters, indicating that the officer died while on active duty.[7] The Latin motto of SAC is Tertia Optio, which means "Third Option," as covert action represents an additional option within the realm of national security when diplomacy and military action are not feasible.[8]
The Ground Branch of the Special Operations Group has been known to operate alongside the United Kingdom's E Squadron,[9] the UK's equivalent paramilitary unit.
The Political Action Group is responsible for covert activities related to political influence, psychological operations, economic warfare, and cyberwarfare.
Tactical units within SAC can also carry out covert political action while deployed in hostile and austere environments. A large covert operation typically has components that involve many or all of these categories as well as paramilitary operations.
Covert political and influence operations are used to support US foreign policy. As overt support for one element of an insurgency can be counterproductive due to the unfavorable impression of the United States in some countries, in such cases covert assistance allows the US to assist without damaging the reputation of its beneficiaries.[10]
- ^ "First Complete Look at the CIA's National Clandestine Service Org Chart". October 27, 2015. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
- ^ Daugherty (2004)
- ^ Robberson, Tod (October 27, 2002). "CIA commandos remain covert". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2007 – via GlobalSecurity.org.
- ^ Woodward, Bob (November 18, 2001). "Secret CIA Units Playing Central Combat Role". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Special Operations Forces (SOF) and CIA Paramilitary Operations: Issues for Congress, CRS-2" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2016.
- ^ Waller, Douglas (February 3, 2003). "The CIA's Secret Army: The CIA's Secret Army". Time. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018 – via content.Time.com.
- ^ Gup, Ted (2000). The Book of Honor: Covert Lives and Classified Deaths at the CIA.
- ^ "About". Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
- ^ Neville, Leigh (2015). Special Forces in the War on Terror. Osprey Publishing. p. 296. ISBN 9781472807908.
- ^ Shimer, David (August 18, 2020). "When the CIA Interferes in Foreign Elections". Foreign Affairs.