1985
The CMO School was activated to counter-balance insurgent mass-based development in the counter-insurgency campaign of the AFP under the Philippine Army Training Command (PATC) located at Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City. Since the PATC was changed to Training Command, Philippine Army (TCPA), pursuant to Section III, GO Nr 150 dated 11 June 1986; sub-units under it were also changed.
1988
Pursuant to GO Nr 543, HPA dated 12 December 1988, TCPA was directed to move its headquarters at Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City to Fort Andres Bonifacio, Metro Manila on 01 January 1989. With the transfer, the CMO School was one of the schools separated from the TCPA to become part of the Service Extension School.
1989
On 01 January 1989, CMOS was then placed under the administration of the Civil-Military Operations Battalion Philippine Army. The school was part of the success of the solid military operations programs and information campaign that earned them the title “Ambassador of Goodwill.” It was the year when officers and enlisted personnel were integrated to form one CMO Course Class.
On 01 August 1989, The CMOBn became the Civil-Military Operations Unit (CMOU) where it made considerable feats in the CMO works of the Army. It was when CMOS was renamed as CMO (PsyOps) School under the CMO (PsyOps) Unit, Philippine Army. The school produced indomitable and effective PsyOps Operators and also successfully conducted an Army Tri-Media Course.
During COL EDILBERTO ADAN’s commandership, the CMOU was renamed to Psychological Operations Group (POG) under the administration of the Philippine Army on 17 November 1989. The first class of Psychological Operations Course was convened to strengthen the campaign in countering enemy-oriented activities.
1996
On 15 January 1996, under the leadership of CPT REGENCIA, CMOS conducted the Army Concerns on Community Organizing for Development (ACCORD) Operators Training to the cadets of Philippine Military Academy. It was the first time that the training was conducted in CMOS. This initiative was recognized with outstanding performance according to MAJOR GENERAL RODOLFO S ESTRELLANO AFP, the superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy.
The newly organized Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Philippine Army absorbed the Psychological Operations Group on 03 June 1996. The sub-units of POG, such as the CMO (PsyOps) School, were placed under the command and control of the SOCOM.
1997
About a year after it was organized, POG assumed a new name as the Civil Affairs Group, Special Operations Command (CAG, SOCOM) as per mandate of then President Fidel V Ramos. This was used from 1997 until 31 January 1999. During this time, school produced highly efficient and effective graduates of Psychological Operations Course that earned the admiration of MAJOR GENERAL VOLTAIRE T GAZMIN, then the Commanding General of the Philippine Army.
On 17 June 1997, the school conducted the first Basic Civil-Military Operations Course that gained the consideration of the AFP Occupational Specialty Board to accredit CMO as secondary AFPOS pursuant to GHQ SOP No 13 dated 13 October 1997, Subject: Selection of officer who shall be included in the Armed Forces of the Philippine Civil-Military Operations (AFPCMO) Eligibility List.
1999
On 01 February 1999, CAG was once again placed under the administration of HPA three years with SOCOM. At this time, the school was able to produce PsyOps graduates who became prominent individuals in the field of politics like LTC JESUS JOSE MARIA BINAY, former Vice President of the Philippines (2010-2016) and LTC FRANCIS TOLENTINO, former MMDA Chairman (2010-2015). Their participation or enrollment made history as they acknowledged that the PsyOps Course had immensely contributed to the success of their careers.
2003
On 23 June 2004, the school opened the first class of Public Affairs Course, under the leadership of COL BENJAMIN HAO, to widen the knowledge and skills of the Public Affairs Officers and NCOs in dealing with the media.
2006
Civil Affairs Group (CAG) was deactivated pursuant to GO Nr 30 HPA dated 23 January 2006 with the name Civil-Military Operations Group (Provisional), Philippine Army, the CMOS intensified the knowledge and skills of the students on psychological operations and public affairs. Coincidentally, the Philippine Army, during that time, became the media’s favorite beat because of the coup d’état attempt known as the Oakwood Mutiny.
On 15 August 2006, the Civil Affairs Course was opened to complete the Psychological Operations Course and Public Affairs Course of the CMO Pillars. Three days after, the CMO Battalion was activated to be deployed in different areas in Metro Manila, they were sent to take the CA Course.
On 02 October 2006, the CMO School, CMOG and the AFP Civil-Military Operations School, CRSAFP are recognized as the main CMO training units of the AFP pursuant to GHQ, AFP Circular No 3 dated 02 October 2006, Subject: Inclusion of Civil-Military Operations as a Secondary Armed Forces of the Philippines Occupational Specialty.
2015
For the past years, the correspondence courses offered by the CMOS only used both Yahoo Mail and Gmail as the means of instructions and examinations. Though the method has been valuable, still CMOS observed that the learning/training of online students were limited since the platform being used yielded delayed instruction and feedback from the instructors and students. As a result, only few of the enrolled students were motivated to finish the course.
In this regard and in consideration of the advent of the new technology, in May 2015, CMOS introduced an innovation in the conduct of its online courses through the introduction of its own website, www.armycmoschool.com.
The Army CMOS website was designed to offer a more interactive, exigent and strategic platform for CMO online courses. At the outset, CMOS offered the two existing online courses, CMOOCC and ISAOCC.
On 03 December 2015, the Program of Instruction of the three CMO Courses undergone a significant review in order to form as a vital component of the school’s curriculum. The three working POI served as the basis and guide for the faculty and staff in the conduct of the training for the CMOS students.
On 17 December 2015, the CMO Hymn, “Lakas ng Ugnayan” was first heard publicly during the graduation of the three CMO Courses at Luna Hall of the Philippine Army Officers Clubhouse. The music was rendered by the Philippine Army Band who also arranged the melody of the song. It was written by the school commandant then, LTC ENRICO GIL C ILETO (INF) PA. The song embodied what CMO professional is all about whose heart goes with the potency of truth, collaborations, and influence.
2016
In January 2016, the school launched the first CMO Correspondence for Non-Commissioned Officers; the CMO NCO Correspondence Course (CMONCOCC). This a 12-week program that aims to train enlisted personnel in providing CMO support, service support, and support planning to CMO units.
At the end of the first training cycle of 2016, CMOS implemented a paper-based Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (SETL). The purpose of SETL was to measure and evaluate the services performed by the school and the result was used as basis in developing not only the school’s method of instruction but as well as the training management package being used by CMOS.
Also, during the 1st training cycle, CMOS revived the development of a school organ, The Pillars. Initially, The Pillars is a special magazine being developed by the students of Public Affairs, however, with the intent of informing its audiences of the activities of the three pillars, CMOS required all the courses to have their respective representation in The Pillars. This was also the time when the school launched My CMO Story, articles featuring officers and personnel who have undergone CMO trainings and eventually used their trainings in their careers and professions, in the FB page.
By virtue of the Philippine Army Transformation Roadmap (ATR) 2028, and the AFP IPSP Bayanihan, CMOS implemented the Student Training Program in partnership with key stakeholders and on 15 February 2016, the CMO School opened its door to the students under the AB Community Development Program of the College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University-Dasmarinas. The On-the-Job Training (OJT) of four De La Salle students was part of a partnership to further extend knowledge on development work and understanding of the concept of human security that allow soldiers and students to assume a support role in the nation-building efforts of the national government, subservient to the theme of peace and development.
On 29 March 2016, the CMO School received the Army Governance Pathway Plaque of Recognition (Initiated Status) in its commitment to pursue a genuine transformation and reform.
03 April 2016, CMOS in coordination with Leonioland Holdings Inc., PEACE KAMP Community from Sapang Uwak, De La Salle-Dasma Cavite, the Assumption College and Teach Peace Build Peace Movement, initiated the Boot Camp 2016 with a theme, ‘Kapayapaan at Kahandaan tungo sa Kinabukasan’. The activity aimed at educating the participants on the concept of basic survival skills, and enabling them in applying their acquired skills in unfortunate situations.
2017
In February 2017, CMOS was conferred with the complaint status (2nd stage) for its demonstrated commitment to pursue genuine transformation and reform as manifested by its exemplary progress in governance and strategy management.
The school opened once again its doors to college students and this time to the batch of interns from UPLB CDC. The three DevCom interns worked on the test run of the learning management system design.
During the internship of CDC students, they worked on the 2nd issue of The Pillars and conducted an essay writing contest to identify who would form part of the paper’s contributors. The benchmarking for the knowledge management system design also started through an organizational KM audit.
With the aspiration to strengthen its existing partnerships with counterparts, the CMO School entered a partnership agreement with the Quezon City Public Library, Quezon City, on 27 September 2017. The agreement was built on the common goal of promulgating knowledge and information across their respective end users.
2017-2018
CMOS initiated the online registration and examination test via google forms and google docs. This was in line with the school’s intent to make the students’ in-processing to be fast, smooth and accessible.
As part of ensuring that CMOS students experience a different kind of learning in the four corners of the school without the exasperations of getting information for their area study, CMO planning, and, CPX requirements, the school developed a Learning System Design (LSD) of a mock community which was uploaded to an online database. This mock community was created to wixsite.com and featured the Municipality of Kawanggawa where its information was based from real areas confronting both the terrorists and secessionists affected communities.
In the later part of 2017, the school utilized the Google Classroom for students’ assignments and recitations. The purpose of the usage of this platform is to practice a paperless training and expanding the rooms for students to learn outside the corners of their classroom and have a tool to interact with their instructors and students beyond the limited training periods.
2018
The CMO School through its partner stakeholder, the Quezon City Public Library (QCPL) procured puppets for the use of CMOR Puppetry Team. With the procurement, Corporal Juan, Privates Cruz, Benj, Juan, and Lara were born. The procurement was part of the continuing capability enhancement program of the school in delivering the message of peace and development to the people through the use of various channels and communication tools.
With the existence of the puppets, the second batch of interns with the CMOS personnel worked on the development of an AVP series called Adlaw ni Simo.
2019
The CMO School as the Army’s premier communication school, opened the first two batches of the former rebels De Radicalization Facilitator’s Training on 11 February 2019. The two trainings were part of the Army’s participation in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) that aimed to aid former rebels who returned to the folds of law.
In June 2019, CMOS incorporated the world-renowned Pikiti Tirsia Kali (PTK) system, a hand to hand combat defensive approach against a charging enemy with a weapon, in its curriculum.
To recognize the significance of social media, CMOS opened a 6-week Social Media Operations Training on 26 July 2019. This training was designed to provide the students with adequate knowledge and skills in planning and managing social media contents in support of the Army’s mission.
On 18 August 2019, the school launched the first ever alumni book, Tanglaw, containing the history and list of CMOS graduates since 1990.
CMOS opened two new in-service trainings; the Community Support Program-White Area Operations (CSP-WAO) and, the Community Support Program-Red Area Operations (CSP-RAO). These trainings aimed to develop officers and personnel that can be deployed in the field to counter the enemy’s white and red area operations.
In December 2019, the CMO School showcased its first Paskuhan sa CMO School, a celebration of the upcoming Yuletide Season through a symbolic lighting of a star where its ray/light is pointed toward a Belen.
2020
On 27 April 2020, CMOS announced the start of Online Radio Broadcasting System in its Facebook Fan Page. The live broadcast is composed of different radio program format hosted by the officers and men of CMOS.