Singapore Guards

Singapore Guards Formation
Singapore Guards Official Emblem
Active	January 1975 - Present
Country	Singapore
Branch	Singapore Army
Type	Elite Infantry
Size	Three battalions (2 Conscripts, 1 Regular)
Part of	HQ Guards
Garrison/HQ	Bedok Camp II Complex (1 Guards and 3 Guards) Dieppe Barracks (HQ Guards) Nee Soon Camp (1 ADF)
Nickname(s)	The Elite Guards, "Singapore Marines"
Motto(s)	Ready to Strike
March	The Guards March
Commanders
Chief Guards Officer	COL Mark Tan
Notable commanders	Melvyn Ong
Insignia
Identification symbol	Guards Tab, Khaki Beret with Cap Badge

The Guards are an elite infantry formation in the Singapore Armed Forces specialising in rapid deployment, heliborne and amphibious operations, maneuver warfare and urban combat. Highly mobile, they are the expeditionary spearhead of the Singapore Army. The formation traces its roots back to the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade and has been actively involved in several National and Army Day events since the establishment of the modern Guards unit.

The formation was formed on 1 January 1975 as the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade (SIB), with a total personnel strength of four officers and five men. The brigade took command of the Infantry Training Depot (ITD) on 1 January 1976 and the 7th and 8th Battalions of the Singapore Infantry Regiment (SIR) on 9 February 1976. On 1 July 1976, 7 SIB was declared operational. In view of its operational role, the ITD was removed from the brigade and the Singapore Armed Forces Guards Unit (SAFGU) was added to the two remaining battalions.

On 1 July 1977, SAFGU was renamed as 1st Battalion, Singapore Guards. A year later on 1 April 1978, 8 SIR became 2nd Battalion, Singapore Guards. 7 SIB was accorded their designation as elite troopers on 1 April 1978. Following that designation, 7 SIR was moved to the 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade in 1978, leaving 7 SIB with the following sub-units:

This arrangement lasted until 1980, when 7 SIB was re-organized into a formation consisting of Guardsmen only. The Commando units were moved elsewhere, and 7 SIR returned to the fold. It was renamed 3rd Battalion, Singapore Guards.

On 17 December 1991, the 7th Brigade Training School (7 BTS) came under the command of the 7 SIB. However, from Sept 1996, all Basic Military Training (BMT) were taken over by Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC), and the 7 BTS was closed down. 11 October 1994 marked the formalisation of Guards as the Guards Formation.

On 6 April 1979, a parade was held to present berets with a new cap badge backing to 7 SIB. Then-Chief of General Staff (CGS), MG (NS) Winston Choo, explained that the backing was a designation of the Guardsmen's new status as elite troopers. The three battalions received their first Colours 11 June 1983. All Guardsmen wear a "Guards" tab on their left sleeve. The tab was presented to the Guardsmen on 23 June 1989 in recognition of their elite designation. On 9 June 1994, the distinctive khaki beret was presented to the formation. Whereas previously Guardsmen wore green berets, all Guardsmen since have worn khaki.