SAFGU was formed on 1^st June 1968, and the main role of this unit was to provide guards for vital SAF installations as well as for ceremonial duties including the provision of the Guard-of-Honour and Prestige Guard for foreign dignitaries visiting the Republic.

Eventually, besides guards and ceremonial duties, the officers and men of SAFGU were also given infantry training to prepare them for a larger operational role. It was intended for the unit to be trained in order to assume the tasks of an infantry battalion.

On 1^st July 1977, SAFGU was renamed 1 Guards and came under the command of 7 SIB. It moved from Portsdown Road into Seletar East Camp in January 1979.

1 Guards ceased its ceremonial duties at the Istana as of 1^st Mar 1980 to concentrate on her operational role, and the duties were handed over to the SAF Provost Unit. The old SAFGU Colours were retired and 1 Guards received her new Regimental and State Colours in July 1983.

To her credit, in 1992, 1 Guards was the first unit in the SAF to achieve REDCON I in the training evaluation exercise conducted by the Battalion Training Evaluation Centre (BTEC), and was the Best Infantry Unit in 1992 and 1996.

Since November 1995 1 Guards has been based in Dieppe Barracks, co-located with HQ Guards.

8 SIR was formed on 1^st April 1974 at Taman Jurong Camp. The unit came under the command of 7 SIB on 9^th February 1976, and was later renamed 2 Guards on 1^st April 1978. On 1^st July 1979, the unit shifted to Lim Chu Kang Camp.

The old 8 SIR Colours were retired and 2 Guards received her new Regimental and State Colours in July 1983.

2 Guards shifted to Dieppe Barracks in April 1995 after seeing the men of the 7^th mono-intake turn Operationally Ready.

7 SIR was formed on 2^nd May 1972, and has had a tradition of excellence. On 1^st July 1980, 7 SIR was renamed 3^rd Battalion Singapore Guards and the unit has since then set itself a high standard to maintain.

3 Guards won the coveted Best Combat Unit in 1980 (then as 7 SIR), 1981, 1983 and 1991. The unit was also the Best Infantry Unit in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1991 and 1995.

Apart from military training, the men of 3 Guards had been active in numerous community projects like Ex Gotong Royong in 1983, to build a metalled road to serve the people of Woodlands. In 1986, the men answered the call of duty as they participated in the relief effort during the Hotel New World disaster.

3 Guards is now co-located with HQ 7 SIB in Kranji Camp Complex.