As the premier military arm of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order, the Galactic Empire's largest bureaucratic entity, stood CompForce. This force's purpose was to guarantee the enforcement of the regulations established by its parent organization throughout the Empire. To accomplish this, it contained two distinct subdivisions: Assault and Observation.
The elite military division of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR), the largest agency within the Imperial bureaucracy, was known as CompForce. CompForce members were deeply committed to Imperial ideals, leading to animosity from the Imperial Military due to perceived arrogance and competition. Above all, personnel in this organization were valued for their unwavering loyalty to the Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine. CompForce's function was to ensure general compliance with COMPNOR's directives throughout the Empire. This elite force was composed of two divisions: Assault and Observation. Assault served as an elite unit deployed for specialized missions, while Observation acted as an elite unit that spied within Imperial Military starships and units, essentially functioning as loyalty officers.
Many loyalty officers stationed throughout the Imperial Military initially underwent recruitment and training within CompForce. This branch typically operated independently of the military's chain of command, creating friction within the armed forces, as CompForce agents were often seen as unwelcome spies within standard Imperial units. CompForce agents, along with other COMPNOR operatives, considered their roles crucial for the Empire's stability and security, particularly the Imperial Security Bureau, which frequently relied on CompForce's available military strength.
CompForce's period of activity occurred during the Imperial Era, spanning from 19 BBY to 5 ABY. In 35 ABY, Beaumont Kin, a historian and paramilitary member of the Resistance, made multiple references to CompForce in his book, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.
The initial mention of CompForce within current Star Wars canon occurred in Dawn of Rebellion, a supplementary roleplaying sourcebook for the Star Wars Roleplaying series, published by Fantasy Flight Games in 2018. The first mention of CompForce's in the Star Wars Legends continuity was in the Imperial Sourcebook by West End Games, released in 1989 for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game and written by Greg Gorden. CompForce's debut appearance was in "Operation: Shadowstrike," a three-part adventure featured in West End Games' Instant Adventures roleplaying book, released in 1996.