Journal of Defense Management
Open Access

Civil-Military Operations Journals

Civil-Military Operations (CMO). CMO may include activities and functions normally performed by the local, regional, or national government. These activities may occur prior to, during, or subsequent to other military actions or operations. They may also occur in the absence of other military operations. The activities of a commander that establish, maintain,influence, or exploit relations between military forces, governmental and nongovernmental civilian organizations andauthorities, and the civilian populace in a friendly, neutral, or hostile operational area in order to facilitate military operations, to consolidate and achieve operational US objectives. Civil-military operations may include performance by military forces of activities and functions normally the responsibility of the local, regional, or national government. These activities mayoccur prior to, during, or subsequent to other military actions. They may also occur, if directed, in the absence of other military operations. Civil-military operations may be performed by designated civil affairs, by other military forces, or by a combination of civil affairs and other forces. Also called CMO. See also civil affairs; operation.