Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion

Left to right: MSG Ron, C co SGM and C co. Commander (Identities censored for security reasons)

On 25 November 2003, a decision was made between the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the Commander United States Central Command (CDRCENTCOM), the Commander Combined Joint Task Force 7 (CDR CJTF-7), and the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC). These elements agreed to form a Baghdad-based, 500-man battalion by integrating militiamen from five (5) Political Parties: Iraqi National Accord (INA), Iraqi National Congress (INC), Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).[8] The idea was to create a special forces unit that would be composed of Iraqis from various ethnic and religious groups.[9]

In late 2003, the CJSOTF-AP (Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula) made plans to put the 36th CDO BN under the control of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Force (ICTF).[10] Initial recruits sent to be trained with the 36th CDO BN were given table tennis paddles to publicly hide their activities that they were going for SOF training.[10] Recruits who changed their mind to join the battalion were taken off the roster.[10] The unit changed its name to the 1st Commando Battalion after the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Brigade was created in July 2005.[10]

During the war against the Islamic State in 2017, the battalion was known to be militarily and politically reliable as they fought ISIL fighters instead of abandoning their positions[11] like the Iraqi Army's 2nd Division.[12]

36th CDO BN forces were involved in Najaf in August 2004, nearly raiding Sadr's hideout if he did not choose to give up.[10] In November 2004, 36th CDO BN forces were deployed to Fallujah alongside US Marines to flush out anti-government insurgents,[10][13] taking control of a hospital from insurgents.[14] They were also involved in Samarra, engaged in anti-insurgency operations in September 2004.[10][15]

The 36th CDO BN was involved in anti-ISIL operations, engaging ISIL fighters in Mosul in 2017.[11]

The 36th CDO BN was organized based on the structure of the US Army Special Forces.[5]

In 2004, the 36th CDO BN had 400 operators, trained by 17 US Special Forces advisors.[16] In 2017, it was reported that the 36th CDO BN had 8,000 operators.[11]

As of 2023, the unit is under the command of the ISOF Brigade.[17]