Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation The Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation ( CDO FN ) is an elite branch of the Singapore Armed Forces ( SAF ) . An offensive unit , it specialises in pre - emptive operation s involving small groups of specially trained soldiers in enemy territory . Designed to be executed quickly in anticipation of a reaction by the enemy , these commando operations are normally short - term and intensive due to their lack of service support in hostile environments . The commandos are usually entrusted with two main roles . Strike missions may involve firefights with the enemy and the destruction of specific enemy targets . Reconnaissance missions are conducted by smaller groups of commandos who may need to camp for longer periods surveying the target in enemy territory . In recognition of the consistently high training and operational standards in which the formation has achieved over the years , its one and only active battalion , 1st Commando Battalion ( 1CDO ) , has won the Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition ' s " Best Combat Unit Award " for a record 25 times since the competition was introduced in 1969 . History . The effort to create an elite unit comprising regular servicemen began in earnest in 1967 , when two officers , MAJ Tan Kim Peng Clarence and MAJ James Chia , were given the task to begin recruiting eligible candidates from any unit in the SAF , thus forming the SAF Regular Battalion on 1 December 1969 under the direct command of the Ministry of Defence . CPT Tham Chee Onn was selected as acting Commanding Officer for the new unit of 20 men , with nine other officers assisting him . MAJ Tan subsequently joined the unit as its Commanding Officer , who was responsible for establishing its training programme . A second recruitment drive was launched in early 1970 particularly aimed at beefing up the strength of officers . In early 1971 , the unit was renamed as the Singapore Armed Forces Commando Unit . The red beret s for the unit were introduced on 3 May 1971 with the SAF ' s initiative in replacing the jungle hats with berets across all units . Red was chosen as it was synonymous with many other special forces around the world . It is also the official beret colour for paratrooper s . On 16 July 1971 , the unit moved from its first home at the old School of Infantry Specialists ' s Advance Specialist Training Wing building at Pasir Laba Camp to Changi Camp . At the same time , the unit was renamed as the 1st Commando Battalion ( 1 CDO BN ) , with one company fully composed of regular soldiers . With National Service ( NS ) introduced in Singapore in 1967 and constituting a large part of the SAF ' s manpower , the talent pool from which the unit could draw from was greatly restricted . Thus , the decision to allow full - time national servicemen ( NSFs ) to join the unit was made in 1972 , and on 15 January 1973 , the pioneer batch formed the new Second Company under the command of CPT Gwee Peng Hong and with 2WO Kiong Kian Khoon as the Company Sergeant Major . The success of the first company helped to accelerate the program and the establishment of the Third , Fourth and Fifth companies from July 1973 to January 1975 under the command of CPT Boon Hon Lin , CPT Lim Siang Tong and LTA Dominic Teo respectively . Sixth company or " Wolf Company " was formed in 2005 with CPT Arnold Low as Officer Commanding and 2WO Kasinathan as Company Sergeant Major . With its six companies , consisting of one regular company and four NSF Rifle companies , and a headquarters company involving men from both regular and NSF servicemen , the 1 CDO BN was restructured and placed under the command of the 3rd Division in April 1975 . It came under the command of the newly formed 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade ( 7SIB ) together with two Guards battalions in 1977 under an initiative to turn 7SIB into an elite formation , and received its state and regimental colours on 22 January 1977 by the then Minister for Defence , Goh Keng Swee , on behalf of the then President Benjamin Henry Sheares . On 1 July 1980 , the 1 CDO BN was transferred out again when the decision was made to turn 7SIB into a Guards formation , and it came under the direct command of Headquarters Infantry . The Headquarters School of Commando Training ( SOCT ) was established on 1 October 1980 , and took over the command of 1 CDO BN . The newly reorganised unit was presented with a new formation sign by then Acting Chief of the General Staff , BG Tan Chin Tiong , incorporating the Winged Stiletto as the new emblem of the Commandos and with the new unit motto , " For Honour and Glory " . The all - regular composition of the 1 CDO BN ' s First Company meant it was entrusted with critical counter - terrorism responsibilities , as well as helping to train their NSF counterparts . It began to induct NSFs from 17 December 1984 under the command of CPT Yeo Lai Huat with 2WO Nathan as the Company Sergeant Major , however , thus turning 1 CDO BN into a full NSF Battalion . First Company also began training in a new operation requirement for long range recon patrolling as well as divisional disruptive operations for the first time , giving the army the capability to see on the group and verify enemy manoeuvres at long distances from friendly lines . In 1986 , another tradition of the Commandos was created when the stiletto was presented to graduants of Second Company during their Red Beret Presentation ceremony in December 1986 , a practice which has been continued ever since . Now , Stiletto is presented to Commandos when they finish their two year stint in the elite unit The need to form a governing policy - making body since the mid - 1980s led to the establishment of Headquarters Commandos in November 1989 , and received its state and formation colours from the then President Wee Kim Wee on 20 October 1991 . The Changi Camp facilities began to restrict the unit ' s growth , and BG ( NS ) Lee Hsien Loong , the current Prime Minister , instructed for the " best camp in the SAF " to be built nearby at a site near Sungei Selarang east of Loyang . The new camp , Hendon Camp , was officially inaugurated on 27 January 1994 by the then Chief of Defence Force , LTG Ng Jui Ping , and remains its home till this day . Heritage and traditions . Symbolism . Like many of its counterparts , the elite status of the Singapore Commando Formation utilises various artifacts or elements to build a unit identity and to foster greater camaraderie amongst its members . These include : Traditions . 1 CDO BN organises an annual Commando Skills - At - Arms Meet , whereby companies vie for honours on an inter - section basis . A practice begun in 1992 , it tests Commandos in executing a range of skills which may range from marksmanship , to demolition , and the completion of the Standard Obstacle Course in Full Battle Order . During Skills - At - Arms , a part of the camp will be cordoned off and made available to the public , so that the families and friends of the commandos are able to witness the event . The Singapore Commandos was the first SAF unit to have an alliance with a foreign unit , the 1st Battalion , Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment , in 1982 . An annual Alliance Parade was first held on 14 March 1982 , until the return of the unit to New Zealand on 2 August 1989 . Ties are maintained , however , by the annual exchange of officers since 1993 . The Commandos are a regular feature in the SAF ' s major parades and events , such as the annual Singapore Armed Forces Military Tattoo and the Singapore Armed Forces Day Parade . They also appear in various national events , including the National Day Parade where they form one of the four guard of honour contingents after winning the Best Combat Unit awards in the preceding year . They have appeared in various mass display segments , often by displaying their rappeling skills . The Singapore Armed Forces Parachute Team has appeared in the parade since 1989 . Commandos have also formed up the Guard of Honour for important visitors to the Istana , although this task has been increasingly taken over by the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command due to the irrelevance to its official duties . Manpower . Recruitment . From an all - regular unit , the 1 CDO BN became an all - NSF battalion on 17 December 1984 , with equal expectations from the NSFs as with their regular counterparts . The recruitment process is thus equally stringent , with NSFs hand - picked through a vocational assessment , even before they formally begin their NS liability , this taking precedence over most other units of the SAF as well as that of other organisations . Medical examination reports and physical fitness results taken prior to enlistment were taken into account , amongst other criteria , and shortlisted candidates were subjected to more tests prior to selection . These criteria included above average intelligence and excellent eyesight , although the latter has been loosened somewhat as the number of myopic Singaporeans increase . After successfully completing an interview , the candidate will be enlisted into a company and go through his Basic Military Training phase . NSmen . The reservist s , or known locally as " Operationally Ready National Servicemen " ( NSmen ) , form the largest manpower source for the Commando Formation , as is the case for the rest of the SAF . NSmen are similarly called up for In - Camp Training ( ICT ) , and receive refresher courses where necessary at the School of Commandos , including the two - day Basic Combat Training course that is conducted several months prior to the commencement of the ICT itself . NSmen are expected to meet the same standards in the annual individual physical proficiency test ( IPPT ) as their NSF and regular counterparts . Training . Due to the operationally different requirements of the Singapore Commandos , training of Commandos to - be are conducted separately and away from that of other recruits , with basic training held at company - level at Hendon Camp . More advanced training is conducted at the School of Commandos , which every Commando trainee will pass through at least once since compulsory courses , such as the Basic Airborne Course , are conducted there . It takes about one year to train a newly enlisted soldier into a full - fledged commando , with specialists and commanders requiring an even longer time to train . Basic training . All newly enlisted commandos to - be undergo Basic Military Training ( BMT ) in Pasir Ris Camp , the Commando Training Institute ( CTI ) . While the training syllabus is largely similar to that of regular BMT conducted SAF - wide , these recruits are pushed further , with constant reminders of their roles as elite soldiers . Putting much emphasis on physical fitness . As a result , the unit , for example , has an unbroken record of 100 % passes in the annual marksman ship tests . Upon successful completion of the BMT , candidates who display unsuitable attributes may be posted out to other units , which may include attitude , aptitude , and medical reasons . Remaining individuals undergo Basic Commando Training ( BCT ) and upon completion are categorized and sent to specialized Vocational Training ( VT ) courses namely the Leader , Demolition & Boatmen , Signal , Medic , Sniper and Weapons Course . Physical training becomes increasingly demanding , as commando trainees have a higher physical fitness level to attain as compared to their peers . Vocational training . Commandos are assigned specific tasks when functioning as a section , and are thus trained to specialise in each of them . These roles may include signaller s , medical specialists , weapons specialists , small boat operators , sniper s , and demolition experts . Outstanding trainees from the BMT and BCT may be trained as Section Leader s at the Commando Training Wing . All trainees must also go through the Basic Airborne Course at the Parachute Training Wing , where they earn their silver wings after five jumps , of which two must be conducted after dusk . Skills taught during vocational training are then fused with skills taught in the BCT , with the aim of building trust and team bonding between members . These are put to the test when the company goes on its overseas exercise in Brunei , where multiple exercises are conducted in jungles over several weeks of intensive training . Upon their return to Singapore , the trainees mark the completion of their one - year - long training stint with a 72 km route march , and become full - fledged commandos . The Red Beret Presentation ceremony is held as part of their Passing Out Parade , and the newly trained commandos will then begin operational duties , where further training may also be conducted on more advanced and specialised skills . Advanced training . Most advanced and leadership training course for commandos are conducted at the School of Commandos , which was formed as the Commando Training Centre ( CTC ) in 1982 before being given its present name in January 1994 . It comprises two wings , namely the Commando Training Wing ( CTW ) and the Parachute Training Wing ( PTW ) . Courses conducted by the CTW include the Commando Section Leaders ' Course ( CSLC ) , the Commando Small Boat Operators ' Course , the Commando Officer Conversion Course ( COCC ) , and the Singapore Armed Forces Ranger Course . The PTW is responsible for the Basic Airborne Course , the Parachute Jump Instructor Course , the Military Free Fall Course , etc . Special Operations Force . Members of the all - regular Special Operations Force ( SOF ) are specially trained to operate in long - range deployments and special missions . All team members are able to be inserted by air , land or sea , with specialised skills in demolitions , explosives and special tactics . Selected members are sent to the United States for the US Army Special Forces course , as well as the US Navy SEAL course . Accidents and safety issues . As is the case for other SAF units , training safety is accorded high priority , particularly due to the sensitivity in handling the well - being of national servicemen who constitute a large part of the Commando Formation . Serious training incidents are relatively rare , but they were also rarely publicised or discussed in the media until recently . In 2003 , training safety standard began to come under increased scrutiny when 2SG Hu Enhuai of the Singapore Guards died during a Combat Survival Training course conducted by the Commandos on 21 August . Four commandos were charged in court a year later for carrying out the " dunking " procedure deemed inappriopriate for training purposes . Other recent incidents include the death of a regular serviceman , 2SG Rajagopal Thirukumaran of the Singapore Guards , after a run during the selection for the Ranger course conducted by the CTW on 3 September 2003 , and a heli - rappelling incident on 14 July 2005 in which a regular commando , 1SG Shiva s / o Mohan , and a foreign serviceman were killed . On 15 June 2005 , another regular serviceman , 2SG Ong Jia Hui , 24 , drowned during training , even though four instructors were within visible range from him at the Changi Naval Base . He was training as a member of the Maritime Counter - Terrorism Group in the SOF at the time of this death . On 20 June 2006 , a 24 - year - old commando died while undergoing training at a swimming pool in Hendon Camp . During a night training exercise in Thailand , two commandos were accidentally shot by hunting farmers . The soldiers , a regular and a full - time conscipt serviceman were lightly injured and recovered shortly after . Controversies . 1 CDO BN was the subject of controversy in 2003 when it was barred by the Ministry of Defence from the annual Singapore Armed Forces Best Unit Competition , due to the discovery of irregularities in late 2002 within the logistics records of one of the sub - units of the battalion . There were also discrepancies in the individual fitness test scores reported by two of the unit ' s specialist s , who handle the stores . Army inspectors unmasked the cover - up during a logistics readiness inspection at the battalion . The inspection , which assess the level of competence of storekeepers in SAF units , is part of the selection process in the Best Unit Competition . A ministry spokesman stated : " The SAF takes a serious view of such matters . As a result , the unit was disallowed from participating in the Best Unit Competition for the year . This is to uphold the integrity and high standards of the competition . " Disciplinary action was reportedly taken against the individuals concerned . Operations . Laju Ferry Incident ( 1974 ) . In times of peace in Singapore , the Singapore Commandos are rarely called into action , only occasionally activated to assist in major operations related to the maintenance of law and order . The outbreak of the Laju incident on 31 January 1974 involved four commandos in a 12 - men party accompanying the four terrorists to Kuwait . Operation Thunderstorm ( 1975 ) . On 8 May 1975 , the Commandos , together with the Republic of Singapore Navy , stormed several vessels with Vietnamese refugees intruding into Singapore ' s territorial waters , and kept watch on the refugees and crew until they were resupplied and escorted out of Singapore two and a half days later . Cable Car Incident ( 1983 ) . When an accident struck the Singapore Cable Car system on 29 January 1983 , rescue plans included the activation of commandos to crawl along the suspension wires to rescue stranded passengers in a cable car , although it did not materialise after a successful rescue by air using the Republic of Singapore Air Force ' s helicopters was conducted instead . Operation Thunderbolt ( 1991 ) . The commando ' s specialist unit , the Special Operations Force , is most well known for the rescue of all 129 passengers and crew when Singapore Airlines Flight 117 was hijacked on 26 March 1991 . The successful operation led to the awarding of the Medal of Valour to the commandos involved in the operation , along with a unit citation to Headquarters Commandos . Recreation and sports . The physical operational requirements expected of each commando has a spin - off effect in their non - operational pursuits . The formation organises the Commando Biathlon annually , although it started off as the Commando Triathlon in 1984 until the exclusion of the cycling component in 1988 onwards to encourage all commandos to participate in it . The Commando Formation dominated the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association ' s annual sports championships , having won five out of six times from 1988 to 1993 . The commandos have also participated in various competitions either as a unit , or on an individual basis . Two teams are typically registered to compete in the Singapore Marathon , and in 1989 , a platoon took part in the run in Full Battle Order , taking nearly 6 hours to complete . In 1991 , SSG Francis Toh and SSG Robin Chan became the first Commandos to complete the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii , United States , doing so in 11 hours and 50 minutes . Weapons . The following is a non - exhaustive list of weapons known to be used by the commandos :