@TheStoicViking Breaks Down the Origins of the 5 Tier One Units in the US Military

About this video

Ritland’s guest, a former member of an Army intelligence unit, discusses the existence and structure of five tier-one units within JSOC, with particular focus on what he describes as the Army’s Intelligence Support Activity (ISA). He recounts his experience through the unit’s selection process and nearly year-long training course, explaining how the organization conducts clandestine intelligence operations using tradecraft techniques modeled partly after the CIA, and describes the challenges of maintaining operational security in alias.

Key takeaways

• The guest explains that JSOC comprises five tier-one units (including lesser-known ones like 24th STS and RRC), with tier-one designation primarily determining funding levels.
• According to the guest, his unit’s selection mirrors Delta Force but emphasizes mental challenge over physical demand, with roughly one-third of candidates completing the five-week individual course.
• The guest describes tradecraft training as essential to clandestine operations, including surveillance detection, maintaining cover, and operating in alias—skills he says require months of instruction and real-world practice exercises conducted within the United States.

Episode details: published May 17, 2026 · 86.1K views · 21:39 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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