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The genealogy of the Army NCO School dates from1641 with the creation of the oldest military corps in Portugal which was named “TERÇO DE ELVAS”.

In 1707, King D. João V, by Deed of November 15, it was renamed as the Elvas Infantry Regiment. In 1806, the 1st Elvas Infantry Regiment became known as the 5th Infantry Regiment.

Throughout its history, due to the successive reorganizations of the Army, it was stationed in Elvas, Terceira Island (Azores), Lisbon, Porto and Caldas da Rainha, and fought worthily in several battles in which Portugal was involved since then, amongst which Albuera (May 16, 1811), Mozambique (1917), France (World War I – La Lys or Armentiéres), India (1959, 1961) Angola e Guinea-Bissau (1961).

With the start of the colonial wars the then 5th Infantry Regiment had as its main mission the preparation of the recruits attending the 1st Cycle of the Non-Cadre NCOs, professionally training 62,400 Non-Cadre NCOs, this constituting the basis of this unit’s vocation for instruction purposes.

In 1974 the 5th Infantry Regiment was the main protagonist, without any success, however, of the “March 16, 1974 movement”. This action was rewarded with its being later granted the Order of Freedom.

The 5th Infantry Regiment was extinguished on March 30, 1975 and on April 1 of the same year the Instruction Centre for the Complementary Cadre was set up.

On December 31, 1975, the Instruction Centre for the Complementary Cadre was extinguished, and the Caldas da Rainha Infantry Regiment created. This latter unit inherited the traditions of those that had preceded it.

The Caldas da Rainha Infantry Regiment was extinguished on May 31, 1981. The Army NCO School was set up in its barracks on June 1, 1981. This order determined that the 1st Part of the NCO Professional Training Courses and the Promotion Courses to Staff Sergeant should be held in this School commencing in October 1981.

In 1993, the Army NCO School was reorganized and provided with the statute of a Military Establishment for Professional Training with the mission to ensure, through its courses, the cultural, technical, professional and military preparation required for the ingress and progression in the career of the NCOs in the permanent cadres. The result of this is that NCOs completing the NCO Professional Training Course have Grade III literary qualifications (equivalent to the 12th Year of normal schooling).

From 1993 and until the current date, the Probationary Period for Promotion to Staff Sergeant is held in the Training Schools of the Branches and Services. Thus the mission of the Army NCO School continues to be the holding of Courses for NCO Professional Training and for Promotion to Sergeant Major.