G.I. Joe: Special Missions Vol. 1 #26 (1989)
 
"There are some missions so secret, so sensitive that even the Joes who go on them are told only the bare minimum, on a strictly need-to-know basis. As far as the other Joes are concerned, these missions never existed. These are the G.I. Joe Special Missions."
Exert from issue #50
 
The Special Missions series written by Larry Hama started in October 1986 and was published bi-monthly for a while, but later was published monthly. It featured stand alone missions mostly seperate from the main series. It ended in November of 1989.
 
The series had a lead-in story from issue #50 of the main series.
 
Cover by Andy Kubert. "Passing Of The Guard," script by Larry Hama, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Danny Bulanadi; While on a mission in Sierra Gordo to rescue El Jefe from Voltar's forces, three Joes encounter the Oktober Guard, and members on both sides are assaulted by Voltar's forces; During the rescue mission only two members from the Oktober Guard survive, as the other Guard members perish, and they are taken captive alongside the three Joes by the freed El Jefe, after he makes a deal with the N.A.B.M. in order to keep his presidency intact. Story continues in G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero #92. 36 pgs., full color. $1.00. Cover price $1.00.