The Katarn Commandos functioned as a Special Forces group within the New Republic.
This unit's history began with a band of guerrilla fighters under the command of Major Bren Derlin, who fought for the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. When Derlin received a promotion, he passed leadership to Lieutenant Judder Page. It was at this time that they were officially designated "Katarn Commandos," a name inspired by the katarn, a secretive predator species from the planet Kashyyyk. As their reputation grew, they became widely recognized as "Page's Commandos".
While officially under the authority of the New Republic Chief of State, the unit frequently operated on its own for extended periods, sometimes weeks or even months. They were capable of functioning as a cohesive whole or splitting into smaller teams, adapting to any operational environment. Each commando was both a versatile generalist and a specialist in a particular area of expertise.
Page's Commandos are featured in the Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds game during the Occupation of Reytha, which occurs well before the unit was formally established.
The writer of Galaxy at War included endnotes with a section dedicated to the Katarn Commandos. These notes mention their initial appearance in the Heir to the Empire Sourcebook, where they were described as a military unit reporting to Lieutenant Page. Regarding the name, it's stated that it originated from the Katarn, an animal indigenous to the Wookiee home world of Kashyyyk. However, it's also noted that the retcon of Kyle Katarn as a member of the commandos led some to speculate that the name was a reference to him. The sourcebook Galaxy at War clarifies that the animal origin is the accurate explanation, with Frorral, the Wookiee member, being the one who initially suggested it, and Kyle Katarn's involvement being a coincidence.
However, a section of text that was cut, which was written by Daniel Wallace and suggested by Abel G. Peña, would have made the origin humorously uncertain with the addition of the paragraph below: