Col Serra was an old friend of Han Solo from his smuggling days. Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, Han Solo asked Col to recruit soldiers that do not need any training for the Rebel Alliance's new fitting unit called Renegade Squadron. Serra understood the mission and started scouring the galaxy for the right mix of pirates, thugs, bounty hunters, misfits, and renegades. He then became the commander of Renegade Squadron.