The common brotherhood of the Red Berets is derived by the experience of parachuting. No Commando wears the Red Beret without having previously earned the parachutist wings. The Commando BAC entails a total of five parachute descents.

Three of these jumps are made in daylight, and two are executed in darkness. To successfully graduate from the course, Commando trainees are required to execute a day and night combat equipment jump each. But, most importantly, the Commandos are the raid specialists in the army.

As such, the Commandos are adept at living off the land. Commandos can also sabotage enemy installations and are thus well trained in various skills like demolition, signals, and medical aid. Most Commandos are usually cross-trained in various skills and arms used so that they can take over each other's functions if necessary.

They strike mostly under the cover of darkness and employ various means to get to their target undetected. They are thus adept at infiltrating enemy territory using airborne raids, helicopter assaults or sea landings. All Commandos learn the use of assault boats and other light vessels for stealthy infiltration into enemy territory. Commandos will usually operate at small unit level, to carry out raids on important targets.

Attacking from land, sea or air, the versatile Commandos are the elite soldiers of the Army. With special weapons and intense training, they work in small, autonomous groups behind enemy lines. The Commandos successfully rescued 123 hostages from the hijacked SQ117 on 26th March 1991. 1st Commando Battalion holds the record as the 14-time Best Combat Unit of the SAF.