Acommando is a combatant, or operative of an elitelight infantry orspecial operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines.[1]
Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opposed to an individual in that unit. In other languages,commando andkommando denote a "command", including the sense of a military or an elite special operations unit. In the militaries and governments of most countries, commandos are distinctive in that they specialize in unconventional assault onhigh-value targets.
In English, to distinguish between an individual commando and a commando unit, the unit is occasionally capitalized.[2]
The term "para-commando" may be used to combine the roles ofparatrooper and commando.
The termcommando originally derives from theLatin wordcommendare ("to recommend") via theDutch wordkommando, which translates as "a command or order" and or roughly to "mobile infantry unit".Kommando in turn originated from thePortuguese wordcomando, which was used inPortuguese India to refer to an early type ofspecial forces. The word was adopted intoAfrikaans fromBoer interactions with the Portuguese in neighboring African colonies.[citation needed] InSouthern Africa, the term originally referred to units of locally raisedmounted infantry which fought during theXhosa Wars,Anglo-Zulu War and theFirst andSecond Boer Wars.[3] The British were exposed to the concept during the 19th and 20th centuries, in particular during the Boer Wars. DuringWorld War II, theBritish military established theCommandos, a formation of special forces units which engaged in raids againstGerman-occupied Europe.Wehrmacht special forces units were also referred to as "kommandos". Some historians have argued the term is aHigh German loan word originating from German colonists who settled in theDutch Cape Colony.[2]
TheOxford English Dictionary ties the English use of the word meaning "[a] member of a body of picked men ..." directly into its Afrikaans' origins:[4]
1943 Combined Operations (Min. of Information) i. Lt. Lieutenant-Colonel D. W. Clarke... produced the outline of a scheme.... The men for this type of irregular warfare should, he suggested, be formed into units to be known as Commandos.... Nor was the historical parallel far-fetched. After the victories ofRoberts andKitchener had scattered the Boer army, the guerrilla tactics of its individual units (which were styled 'Commandos')... prevented decisive victory.... His [sc. Lt.-Col. D. W. Clarke's] ideas were accepted; so also, with some hesitation, was the name Commando.
DuringWorld War II, newspaper reports of the deeds of "the commandos" only in the plural led to readers thinking that the singular meant one man rather than one military unit, and this new usage became established.
Due to the special mental and physiological requirements made of the applicants, there are restrictions entering "commando" units. Applicants have to fulfil special requirements. Selecting applicants with the highest motivation, modern special forces run special selection processes.
Historically there is evidence of selection for theOtdelnly Gwardieskij Batalion Minerow, predecessors of the modern Russianspetsnaz. Soldiers had to be younger than 30 years, were mostly athletes or hunters and had to show the highest motivation. During training and selection some participants died since they were exhausted and left to their devices.[5]
The GermanKommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) demands from their applicants high levels of physical resilience, teamwork, willingness to learn, mental resilience, willpower, sense of responsibility, flexibility, secrecy and adaptation. These skills are proven during assessment.[6]
The fitness test of theU.S. Navy SEALs tests swimming speed over 500 yards, number of push-ups and sit-ups within 2 minutes, pull-ups and running 1.5 miles.[7]
Long Range Desert Group hired their personnel after a very long interrogation. FirstSAS members had to complete a march of 50km, and theRoyal Marine commandos tested their applicants' motivation during an obstacle course using real explosives and machine gun fire close toAchnacary in Scotland. TheFrench Foreign Legion assesses their applicants through medical, intelligence, logic, and fitness tests as well as interrogations, small drills and solving small tasks.
Commando soldiers are supposed to think independently. This is unusual in the context of mostmilitary training, but is necessary for work in small groups and avoiding enemies' reconnaissance.[8]
After theDutch Cape Colony was established in 1652, the word was used to describe bands of militia. The first "Commando Law" was instated by the originalDutch East India Company chartered settlements, and similar laws were maintained through the independentBoerOrange Free State andSouth African Republic. The law compelledburghers to equip themselves with horses and firearms when required in defense. The implementation of these laws was called the "Commando System". A group of mountedmilitiamen was organized in a unit known as acommando and headed by acommandant, who was normally elected from inside the unit.[2] Men called up to serve were said to be "on commando".[9] British experience with this system led to the widespread adoption of the word "commandeer" into English in the 1880s.[10]
During theGreat Trek, conflicts withSouthern African peoples such as theXhosa and theZulu caused the Boers to retain the commando system despite being free of colonial laws. Also, the word became used to describe any armed raid. During this period, the Boers also developedguerrilla techniques for use against numerically superior but less mobile bands of natives such as the Zulu, who fought in large, complex formations.[2]
In theFirst Boer War,Boer commandos utilised superior marksmanship, fieldcraft, camouflage and mobility to great effect against British forces, who wore conspicuousred uniforms and were poorly trained in marksmanship. These tactics continued to be used during theSecond Boer War. In the final phase of the war, 25,000 Boer commandos engaged inasymmetric warfare againstBritish Imperial forces numbering 450,000 strong for two years after the British had captured the capitals of the two Boer republics. During these conflicts the word entered theEnglish language, retaining its general Afrikaans meaning of a "militia unit" or a "raid".Robert Baden-Powell recognised the importance of fieldcraft and was inspired to form thescouting movement.
In 1941, Lieutenant-Colonel D. W. Clarke of the British Imperial General Staff, suggested the namecommando for specialized raiding units of the British Army Special Service in evocation of the effectiveness and tactics of the Boer commandos.[2] During World War II, American and British publications, confused over the use of the plural "commandos" for that type of British military units, gave rise to the modern common habit of using "a commando" to mean one member of such a unit, or one man engaged on a raiding-type operation.[2]
Since the 20th century and World War II in particular, commandos have been set apart from other military units by virtue of their extreme training regimes; these are usually associated with the awarding ofgreen berets which originated withBritish Commandos. The British Commandos were instrumental in founding many other international commando units during World War II. Some international commando units were formed from members who served as part of or alongside British Commandos, such as the DutchKorps Commandotroepen (who still wear the recognition flash insignia of the BritishFairbairn–Sykes fighting knife), the Belgian5th Special Air Service, or GreekSacred Band. In 1944 theSAS Brigade was formed from the British 1st and 2nd SAS, the French 3rd and 4th SAS, and the Belgian 5th SAS. The French Army special forces (1er RPIMa) still use the mottoQui Ose Gagne, a translation of the SAS motto "Who Dares Wins".
In addition, manyCommonwealth nations were part of the original British Commando units. They developed their own national traditions, including the AustralianSpecial Air Service Regiment, theNew Zealand Special Air Service, and theRhodesian Special Air Service, all of whom share (or used to) the same insignia and motto as their British counterparts. During the Second World War, the British SAS quickly adopted sand-coloured berets, since they were almost entirely based in the North African theatre; they used these rather than green berets to distinguish themselves from other British Commando units. (SeeHistory of the Special Air Service). Other Commonwealth commando units were formed after the Second World War directly based on the British Commando units, such as the Australian Army Reserve1st Commando Regiment (Australia), distinct from the Regular Army2nd Commando Regiment (Australia), who originated from the4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in 1997 .
TheUS Rangers were founded by Major GeneralLucian Truscott of the US Army, a liaison officer with the British General Staff. In 1942, he submitted a proposal to GeneralGeorge Marshall that an American unit be set up "along the lines of the British Commandos". The original US Rangers trained at the British Commandos centre atAchnacarry Castle. TheUS Navy SEALs' original formation, theObserver Group, was also trained and influenced by British Commandos.[11] The US Special Forces originated with theFirst Special Service Force, formed under BritishCombined Operations. TheFirst Special Service Force was a joint American-Canadian unit and modern Canadianspecial operations forces also trace their lineage to this unit and through it to British Commandos, despite existing in their modern incarnation only since 2006.
Malaysian green beret special forcesPASKAL[12] andGrup Gerak Khas (who still wear the Blue Lanyard of theRoyal Marines) were originally trained by British Commandos. ThePortuguese Marine Corps Fuzileiros were originally trained by British Commandos in 1961. Other British units, such as theSAS, led to the development of many international special operations units that are now typically referred to as commandos, including the BangladeshiPara-Commando Brigade, PakistaniSpecial Services Group, the IndianMARCOS, JordanianSpecial Operation Forces andPhilippine National PoliceSpecial Action Force.
A Dutch study found that a sampling of Dutch male special forces operators were more emotionally stable, conscientious, but also more closed minded than matched civilian controls and other types of soldiers.[13]
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During the winter of 1914–1915 large parts of the Eastern Front switched to trench warfare. To cope with the new situation many Austro-Hungarian regiments spontaneously formed infantry squads calledJagdkommandos. These squads were named after the specially trained forces of Russian army formed in 1886 and were used to protect against ambushes, to perform reconnaissance and for low intensity fights in no-man's-land.
Austro-Hungarian High army command (Armeeoberkommando, AOK) realized the need for special forces and decided to draw on German experience. Starting in September–October 1916 about 120 officers and 300 NCOs were trained in the German training area in Beuville (near the village ofDoncourt) to be the main cadre of the newly raised Austro-Hungarian army assault battalions. The formerJagdkommandos were incorporated into these battalions.
The first country to establish commando troops was Italy, in the summer 1917, shortly before Germany.[citation needed]
Italy used specialist trench-raiding teams to break the stalemate of static fighting againstAustria-Hungary, in theAlpine battles of World War I. These teams were called "Arditi" (meaning "daring, brave ones"); they were almost always men under 25 in top physical condition and, possibly at first, bachelors (due to fear of very high casualty rates). Actually the Arditi (who were led to the lines just a few hours before the assault, having been familiarised with the terrain via photo-reconnaissance and trained on trench systems re-created ad hoc for them) suffered fewer casualties than regular line infantry and were highly successful in their tasks. Many volunteered for extreme-right formations in the turbulent years after the war and (theFascist Party took pride in this and adopted the style and the mannerism of Arditi), but some of left-wing political persuasions created the "Arditi del Popolo" (People's Arditi) and for some years held the fascist raids in check, defending Socialist and Communist Party sections, buildings, rallies and meeting places.[14]
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TheAustralian Army formed commando units, known asAustralian independent companies in the early stages of World War II. They first saw action in early 1942 during theJapanese assault on New Ireland, and in theBattle of Timor. Part of the 2/1st Independent Company was wiped out onNew Ireland, but onTimor, the 2/2nd Independent Company formed the heart of an Allied force that engagedJapanese forces in aguerrilla campaign. The Japanese commander on the island drew parallels with the Boer War, and decided that it would require a 10:1 numerical advantage to defeat the Allies. The campaign occupied the attention of an entire Japanese division for almost a year. The independent companies were later renamed commando squadrons, and they saw widespread action in theSouth West Pacific Area, especially inNew Guinea andBorneo. In 1943, all the commando squadrons except the 2/2nd and 2/8th were grouped into the 2/6th, 2/7th and 2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiments.
Later in the war the Royal Australian Navy also formed commando units along the lines of the Royal Naval Commandos to go ashore with the first waves of major amphibious assaults, to signpost the beaches and carry out other naval tasks. These were known asRAN Commandos. Four were formed—lettered A, B, C and D like their British counterparts—and they took part in theBorneo campaign.
Z Force, an Australian-British-New Zealandmilitary intelligence commando unit, formed by the AustralianServices Reconnaissance Department, also carried out many raiding and reconnaissance operations in the South West Pacific theatre, most notablyOperation Jaywick, in which they destroyed tonnes of Japanese shipping atSingapore Harbour. An attempt to replicate this success, withOperation Rimau, resulted in the death of almost all those involved. However, Z Force and other SRD units continued operations until the war's end.
A jointCanadian-American Commando unit, the 1st Special Service Force, nicknamed theDevil's Brigade, was formed in 1942 under the command of Colonel Robert Frederick.[15] The unit initially saw service in the Pacific, in August 1943 atKiska in theAleutians campaign. However most of its operations occurred during theItalian campaign and in southern France. Its most famous raid, which was documented in the filmDevil's Brigade, was the battle ofMonte la Difensa. In 1945, the unit was disbanded; some of the Canadian members were sent to the1st Canadian Parachute Battalion as replacements, and the American members were sent to either the101st Airborne Division or the82nd Airborne Division as replacements or the474th Regimental Combat Team. Ironically they were sent to serve in Norway in 1945, the country they were formed to raid.[16]
The Finns fielded theErillinen Pataljoona 4 and about 150 men were trained before the beginning of summer 1941. At first, the units had as few as 15 men, but during the war this was increased to 60. On July 1, 1943, the units were organised in the 4th Detached Battalion. In 1944, a special unit with amphibiousHe 115 planes was founded to support the battalion. The total strength of the battalion was 678 men and 76 women (seeLotta Svärd).
In theBattle of Ilomantsi, soldiers of the 4th disrupted the supply lines of the Soviet artillery, preventing effective fire support. The battalion made over 50 missions in 1943 and just under 100 in 1944, and was disbanded on November 30 of that same year.
Sissiosasto/5.D is another Finnish Commando unit of the World War Two era. The Detachment was founded on August 20, 1941, under theLynx Division (5th Division, Finnish VI Corps). It was a self-contained unit forreconnaissance patrolling,sabotage andguerrilla warfare operations behind enemy lines.
In December 1939, following the success ofGerman infiltration and sabotage operations in thePolish campaign, the GermanOffice for Foreign and Counter-Intelligence (OKW Amt Ausland/Abwehr) formed theBrandenburger Regiment (known officially as the 800th Special Purpose Training and Construction Company).[17] The Brandenburgers conducted a mixture of covert and conventional operations but became increasingly involved in ordinary infantry actions and were eventually converted into a Panzer-Grenadier Division, suffering heavy losses inRussia.Otto Skorzeny (most famed for his rescue ofBenito Mussolini) conducted many special operations forAdolf Hitler. Skorzeny commandedSonderlehrgang z.b.V. Oranienburg, Sonderverband z.b.V. Friedenthal, andSS-Jäger-Bataillon 502,500th SS Parachute Battalion,SS-Jagdverband Mitte and all otherSS commando units.
The GermanFallschirmjäger were famous for their elite skills and their use in rapid commando style raids and as elite "fire brigade" infantrymen.[18][full citation needed]Fort Eben-Emael on the Belgian border wascaptured in 1940 by Fallschirmjäger troops as part of the German invasion and occupation of Belgium.[19][20]
A report written byMajor-General Robert Laycock in 1947 claimed that there was a German raid on a radar station on the Isle of Wight in 1941.[21][22]
The Sacred band (Greek:Ιερός Λόχος) was aGreekspecial forces unit formed in 1942 in theMiddle East, composed entirely of Greek officers and officer cadets under the command of Col.Christodoulos Tsigantes. It fought alongside theSAS in theLibyan Desert and with theSBS in theAegean, as well as with GeneralLeclerc'sFree French Forces inTunisia. It was disbanded in August 1945.
Italy's most renowned commando unit of World War II wasDecima Flottiglia MAS ("10th Assault Vehicle Flotilla"), which, from mid-1940, sank or damaged a considerable tonnage of Allied ships in the Mediterranean.
After Italy surrendered in 1943, some of theDecima Flottiglia MAS were on the Allied side of the battle line and fought with the Allies, renaming themselves theMariassalto. The others fought on the German side and kept their original name but did not operate at sea after 1943, being mostly employed against Italianpartisans; some of its men were involved in atrocities against civilians.
In post-war years the Italian marine commandos were re-organised as the "Comsubin" (an abbreviation ofComando Subacqueo Incursori, or Underwater Raiders Command). They wear the green Commando beret.
In 1944–45, JapaneseTeishin Shudan ("Raiding Group") andGiretsu ("heroic") detachments made airborne assaults on Allied airfields in thePhilippines,Marianas andOkinawa. The attacking forces varied in size from a few paratroopers to several companies. Due to the balance of forces concerned, these raids achieved little in the way of damage or casualties, and resulted in the destruction of the Japanese units concerned. Considering that there were no plans to extract these forces, and the reluctance to surrender by Japanese personnel during that era, they are often seen in the same light askamikaze pilots of 1944–45.
Nakano School trained intelligence and commando officers and organized commando teams forsabotage and guerrilla warfare.
The navy had commando units "S-toku" (Submarine special attack units, seeKure 101st JSNLF(in Japanese) ) for infiltrating enemy areas bysubmarine. It was called theJapanese Special Naval Landing Forces ofKure 101st,Sasebo 101st and 102nd.
New Zealand formed theSouthern Independent Commando in Fiji 1942.[citation needed]
Cichociemni (Polish pronunciation:[t͡ɕixɔˈt͡ɕɛmɲi]; the "Silent Unseen") were elitespecial-operations paratroopers of thePolish Army in exile, created inGreat Britain duringWorld War II to operate inoccupied Poland (Cichociemni Spadochroniarze Armii Krajowej).[23]
Voyennaya Razvyedka (Razvedchiki Scouts) are "Military intelligence" personnel/units within larger formations in ground troops, airborne troops and marines. Intelligence battalion in the division, reconnaissance company in the brigade, a reconnaissance platoon in the regiment.[24][page needed]
Soviet Naval FrogmenThe legendary Soviet Naval ScoutViktor Leonov commanded an elite unit of Naval Commandos. The 4th Special Volunteer Detachment was a unit of 70 veterans.[24] Initially they were confined to performing small scale reconnaissance missions, platoon sized insertions by sea and on occasion on land into Finland and later Norway.[24] Later they were renamed the 181st Special Reconnaissance Detachment.[24] They began conducting sabotage missions and raids to snatch prisoners for interrogation.[24] They would also destroy German ammunition and supply depots, communication centers, and harass enemy troop concentrations along the Finnish and Russian coasts.[25][page needed] After the European conflict ended, Leonov and his men were sent to the Pacific theatre to conduct operations against the Japanese.
In 1940, theBritish Army formed "independentcompanies", later reformed asbattalion sized "commandos", thereby reviving the word. The British intended that theircommandos be small, highly mobile surprise raiding andmilitary reconnaissance forces. They intended them to carry all they needed and not remain in field operations for more than 36 hours. Army Commandos were all volunteers selected from existing soldiers still in Britain.
During the war the British Army Commandos spawned several other famous British units such as theSpecial Air Service, theSpecial Boat Service and theParachute Regiment. The British Army Commandos themselves were never regimented and were disbanded at the end of the war.
TheSpecial Operations Executive (SOE) also formed commando units from British and displaced European personnel (e.g.,Cichociemni) to conduct raiding operations in occupied Europe. They also worked in small teams, such as the SAS, which was composed of ten or fewer commandos because that was better for special operations. One example isNorwegian Independent Company 1, which destroyedheavy water facilities in Norway in 1941.
TheRoyal Navy also controlledRoyal Navy Beach Parties, based on teams formed to control theevacuation of Dunkirk in 1940.[26] These were later known simply as RN Commandos, and they did not see action until they successfully fought for control of the landing beaches (as in the disastrousDieppe Raid of 19 August 1942). The RN Commandos, including Commando "W" from theRoyal Canadian Navy, saw action onD-Day.[27]
In 1942, the Royal Navy's nineRoyal Marines infantry battalions were reorganized as Commandos, numbered from 40 to 48, joining the British Army Commandos in combined Commando Brigades. After the war the Army Commandos were disbanded. The Royal Marines form an enduring Brigade-strength capability as3 Commando Brigade with supporting Army units.[28]
TheRoyal Air Force also formed 15 commando units in 1942, each of which was 150 strong. These units consisted of trained technicians,armourers and maintainers who had volunteered to undertake the commando course. TheseRoyal Air Force Commandos accompanied the Allied invasion forces in all theatres; their main role was to allow the forward operation of friendly fighters by servicing and arming them from captured air fields. However, due to the forward position of these airfields, the RAF Commandos were also trained to secure and make safe these airfields and to help defend them from enemy counterattack.[29]
During 1941, theUnited States Marine Corps formed commando battalions. The USMC commandos were known collectively asMarine Raiders. On orders from President Franklin D. Roosevelt through a proposal from OSS Director Colonel William J. Donovan and the former Commander of the United States Marine Detachment Major Evans F Carlson, directed the formation of what became the Marine Raiders. Initially this unit was to be called Marine Commandos and were to be the counterpart to the British Commandos. The name Marine Commandos met with much controversy within the Marine Corps leading Commandant Thomas J. Holcomb to state, "the term 'Marine' is sufficient to indicate a man ready for duty at any time, and the injection of a special name, such ascommando, would be undesirable and superfluous." President Roosevelt's son James Roosevelt served with the Marine Raiders. The Raiders initially saw action at theBattle of Tulagi and theBattle of Makin, as well as theBattle of Guadalcanal, theBattle of Empress Augusta Bay, and other parts of thePacific Ocean Areas. In February 1944 the four Raider battalions were converted to regular Marine units. Additionally, as parachuting special forces units,Paramarines arguably also qualified as commandos[30]- though they too were assimilated into regular Marine units in 1944.
In mid-1942, theUnited States Army formed itsArmy Rangers inNorthern Ireland underWilliam O. (Bill) Darby. The Rangers were designed along the similar lines to the British Commandos. The first sizable Ranger action took place in August 1942 at theDieppe Raid, where 50 Rangers from the 1st Ranger Battalion were dispersed among Canadian regulars and British Commandos. The first full Ranger action took place in November 1942 during the invasion of Algiers inNorthwest Africa inOperation Torch, again by members of the 1st Ranger Battalion.[31][page needed]
The primary commando units of theIsrael Defense Forces includeShayetet 13,Sayeret Matkal, and theShaldag Unit, as well as theOz Brigade (which contains the subordinate commando unitsDuvdevan Unit,Egoz Reconnaissance Unit, andMaglan).
Shayetet 13 is the elite naval commando unit of theIsraeli Navy. S'13 specializes in sea-to-land incursions, counter-terrorism, sabotage, maritime intelligence gathering, maritime hostage rescue, and boarding. The unit is one of the world's most well reputed special forces units.[32]
Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) is aspecial forces unit of theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF) directly subordinate to theDirectorate of Military Intelligence. Primarily a field intelligence-gathering unit specializing inspecial reconnaissance behind enemy lines, Sayeret Matkal is also tasked withcounter-terrorism,hostage rescue, and foreignespionage. Modeled after theBritish Army'sSpecial Air Service—from which it emulated the motto, "Who Dares, Wins"—the unit is considered to be the Israeli equivalent to the famedDelta Force of the United States.[33] As one of Israel's most important commando units, the Sayeret Matkal has reputedly been involved in almost every major counter-terrorism operation since its inception in 1957.[34]
TheEgoz Reconnaissance Unit is an IsraeliSpecial Force commando unit, in theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF). Egoz is a unit that specializes inguerrilla, anti-guerrilla warfare, behind enemy lines intelligence gathering, and more complicated ground activity. Egoz is part of the Commando Brigade but still completes basic training with theGolani Brigade.[35]
Maglan (Also known asUnit 212) is an Israeli special forces unit which specializes in operating behind enemy lines and deep in enemy territory using advanced technologies and weaponry.
Unit 217, frequently calledDuvdevan Unit is an elitespecial operations force within theIsrael Defense Forces, part of theOz Brigade. Duvdevan are noted forundercover operations inurban areas, during which they often wearArab civilian clothes as adisguise.[36]
Shaldag Unit, also known asUnit 5101, is an eliteIsraeli Air Force commando unit. Shaldag's mission is to deploy undetected into combat and hostile environments to conduct specialreconnaissance, establish assault zones or airfields, while simultaneously conducting air traffic control and commando actions.
TheSpecial Action Force (SAF) is the elite commando unit of thePhilippine National Police. It is required to undergo the SAF Commando Course to be allowed to wear the SAF Beret. It also serves as the foundation course or requisite for other SAF specialization trainings such as Explosives and Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Basic Airborne Course (BAC), Urban Counter Revolutionary Warfare Course (SURESHOCK), SCUBA-BUSROC (Basic Under-Water Search and Rescue Operations Course), SAF Seaborne Warfare Course (SSWC) and others.
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In 1963, the1st Commando Brigade ofTurkish Land Forces was officially established inKayseri, marking the formal beginning of Turkey’s modern commando forces. Initially structured to handle high-altitude and unconventional warfare, these units quickly gained prominence within the Turkish Armed Forces. By the 1970s, the commandos had already demonstrated their operational value, most notably during the1974 Cyprus War, where they executed airborne and amphibious landings under combat conditions.[37]
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as the insurgency led by thePKK escalated, Turkish Army Commandos were heavily deployed in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq. This period saw the expansion of commando units, including the formation of mountain and special operations brigades specifically trained for counter-terrorism, high-mobility engagements, and night operations in rugged terrain.[37]
In the 2000s and 2010s, Turkish commandos participated in several cross-border military campaigns, includingOperation Sun (2008), and later,Operation Euphrates Shield (2016),Operation Olive Branch (2018), andOperation Peace Spring (2019) in Syria. These missions aimed to secure Turkey’s borders, eliminate terrorist threats, and establish safe zones. The role of the commandos in these operations often involved spearheading assaults, securing urban areas, and conducting joint missions with armored and air support units. Their adaptability, advanced training, and experience in asymmetric warfare have cemented their status as one of the most capable ground forces within the Turkish military structure.[37]
3 Commando Brigade,Royal Marines is under the command of the Royal Navy'sCommander-in-Chief Fleet. All Royal Marines (other than those in theRoyal Marines Band Service) are commando trained on entry to the Corps, with supporting units and individuals from the other armed services undertaking theAll Arms Commando Course as required.
The Brigade is made up of 30 (IX) Commando, 40 Commando (home base:Taunton), 42 Commando (Bickleigh, South Hams, Plymouth),43 Commando Fleet Protection Group (HMNB Clyde,Argyll and Bute), 45 Commando (Arbroath, Scotland), theCommando Logistic Regiment, theRoyal Marines Armoured Support Group (Bovington Camp (Royal Armoured Corps Centre),Dorset),539 Assault Squadron RM,29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers.
The Royal Marines is the largest force of its type in Europe and the second largest inNATO.
The United States continues to have no designated "commando" units; however, the closest equivalents remain the U.S. Army's75th Ranger Regiment andUnited States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions, which specialize in most of the same tasks and missions.[38]
During the Vietnam War the U.S. Army's5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) instituted, "Special Operations Augmentation Recondo School," an acronym for Reconnaissance Commando. The school was at Nha Trang Air Base, north of the massive U.S. Navy and Air Force Base at Cam Ranh Bay. Recondo School trained small, heavily armed long-range reconnaissance teams the art of patrolling deep in enemy-held territory. All students were combat veterans and came from the ranks of the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps Force Recon Battalions, and the Army of the Republic of South Korea. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam had their own school. The modern U.S. Army'sLong-range surveillance (LRS),Reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), andUnited States Marine Air-Ground Task Force Reconnaissance all derive some portion of their legacies from the Recondo program and utilize the name "Recondos" informally.[39][40][41][42][43]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)The Royal Navy Beach Commandos controlled the arrival and departure of vessels that were landing their cargoes on the beaches. In each RN Beach Commando was a Principal Beachmaster (PBM), an Assistant Principal Beachmaster and two or three beach parties each consisting of a Beachmaster, two Assistant Beachmasters and about 20 seamen.
{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title= (help){{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)Just doing Recondo things with my friends. Recon #Marines with the All Domain Reconnaissance Detachment, @11thMEU, conduct free-fall jumps while training at Camp Buehring, #Kuwait, Oct. 4.