Direct action operatives, frequently called rangers, were the non-clone personnel working for Republic Intelligence throughout the Clone Wars, and were not clone troopers. Individuals with a background in the Judicial Forces, like Matese and his squad, were selected to become intelligence officers for Republic Intelligence during the Clone Wars.
The "direct action operatives" were a hastily assembled group of law enforcement officials deployed for a single, specific operation. This marked their sole instance of utilization. During this mission, their objective was to abduct Morseerians, but the mission was flawed. Their encounter with customs agents resulted in the successful abduction of only two of the three scientists. These two Morseerians were later used as leverage in an exchange to secure the release of Galen Walton Erso and his family. Orson Callan Krennic, holding the rank of Lieutenant Commander, took charge of the exchange, excluding the "rangers" from participation.
The direct action operatives made their debut in Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel, a 2016 publication authored by James Luceno.