The Center for American Military Music Opportunities (CAMMO),is an innovative 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to the concept of American Service members and Veterans joining together to share their love of music, performance and audio technology, as well as benefiting from the healing power of music and sound. The initial focus of C*A*M*M*O was to create a supportive platform for skill-building in individual musicianship and performance, along with the additional goal of connecting Service members to leading industry talent development specialists. This strategy began to generate unique career opportunities in the music industry and created new gateways for military personnel and Veterans to produce state-of-the-art performances, concerts, and workshops to audiences of all ages. The success of these initial programs has created an exciting and energized environment for C*A*M*M*O’s outreach as an organization. As C*A*M*M*O grows, the belief in the healing and therapeutic aspect of this work has been proven time and again. Indeed, in the original conceptual design for CAMMO, the therapeutic aspect of making and exploring music was a core principle and integral to its mission.
However, C*A*M*M*O*’s mission has expanded. Due to the latest advancements in brain imaging and neuroscientific research, remarkable discoveries about the impact of music on brain functioning and the importance of music therapy have emerged. As a result, trained music therapists have improved their treatment strategies and developed new techniques and models of care. C*A*M*M*O* staff now includes a board-certified music therapist to implement, direct, and create therapeutic programming based on the latest and best evidence-based research.
