The term commando can refer to an individual, a military unit, or a style of military operation. In certain contexts, the term is synonymous with light infantry or "special forces".

History of commandos / special forces

List of  commandos / special forces

Commandos are generally seen as "elite" soldiers; they tend to meet relatively high physical and intellectual requirements, are formed into combat units (from squad to brigade strength), and often operate in conjunction with more traditional military formations.

Commandos are normally trained for assault by land, sea or air and most are parachute qualified. Training also includes unarmed combat, infiltration, patrol, reconnaissance, jungle, desert, arctic, and mountain terrains with an emphasis on both teamwork and self reliance. Individuals specialize in various aspects such as explosives and communications. Commando hallmarks are speed, mobility and stealth. Many operations are conducted at night and Commandos are not intended to remain continuously in the line for long periods.

Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. These exclusive units rely on stealth, speed, self reliance and close teamwork, and highly specialized equipment.

Traditionally, the mission of the Special Forces are in five areas:

• counter-terrorism
• unconventional warfare
• facilitating the internal defense of foreign countries (primarily through the education and training of indigenous security forces)
• special reconnaissance
• direct action against specific targets, e.g. prison rescue, or destruction of essential infrastructure, such as power plants

Their elite nature is such that special forces often prevail even against substantially larger forces, recently witnessed in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, chronicled in the popular 2001 film Black Hawk Down, involving 123 U.S. Rangers against several thousand Somalians.

Special forces members are often selected from volunteer candidates, and go through the most rigorous training available. Often, training exceeds two years, and certain missions may necessitate additional training. They can be described as the "best of the best", the "most daring", and "most effective" fighting units. Often asked is which Unit is the best, the answer is none, each unit does the same thing though some units may specialize in an area in which another unit isn't the selection and training processes are the same.

The work of Special Forces is usually classified, and hence candidates are put through extensive trials prior to acceptance. These trials have an extremely high "washout" rate. Candidates must also have at least a Secret clearance. Not infrequently, there are ties between intelligence agencies and special forces units, acting rapidly on current intelligence.

Special Forces operatives may also be used to train foreign local forces when military aid is given to other countries, as much of their specialized training includes language and cultural skills. Because of the secrecy surrounding much of their training, and the typically covert nature of their work, Special Forces have an aura of mystery surrounding them and are frequently the topic of military fiction. Coincidentally, those in the Special Forces often refer to themselves as "the Quiet Professionals".