NAF Earns International Combat Medical Training Accreditation

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has achieved a major milestone in combat medical training following the accreditation of its Air Mobile First Aid Unit (AMFAU) by the United States-based National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).

The accreditation, secured in collaboration with the German Technical Advisory Group (GTAG), culminated in the successful conduct of the first-ever NAEMT-accredited Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training in Nigeria between May 13 and 28 at the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine (NAFSMSAM), Kaduna.

With the development, AMFAU has become one of the few NAEMT-accreditedtraining centres in West Africa, further strengthening the Nigerian Air Force’s combat medical capabilities and operational readiness.

According to the NAF, the Tactical Combat Casualty Care programme is globally recognised as the gold standard in battlefield medicine, equipping personnel with critical lifesaving skills such as haemorrhage control, airway management, trauma stabilisation and casualty evacuation under hostile conditions.

The service said the accreditation comes at a time when the Air Force remains actively involved in counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and other joint military operations across the country, adding that the enhanced medical training capability would improve force protection, operational resilience and survivaloutcomes during missions.

Speaking on the achievement, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the accreditation and successful conduct of the inaugural course as a strategic advancement in the Nigerian Air Force’s pursuit of operational excellence.

He said the ability to preserve lives and respond effectively to medical emergencies on the battlefield remains critical to mission success, noting that the new international certification would significantly boost operational readiness and personnel welfare.

According to him, every life saved on the battlefield contributes directly to mission effectiveness and the successful attainment of national security objectives.

At the graduation ceremony, the NAEMTCourse Coordinator formally activated AMFAU as an accredited training centre through the presentation of the association’s banner to the Commandant of NAFSMSAM, Air Vice Marshal AC Ekpe.

Participants who completed the course received internationally recognised certificates and course insignia, while the event also featured an exchange of souvenirs between the German instructors and school authorities.

In his remarks, Air Vice Marshal Ekpe congratulated the graduates and urged them to uphold professionalism and apply their skills in preserving lives during operations. He also commended the Chief of the Air Staff, GTAG and the NAEMT-certified instructors for their support and contributions to the programme.

The commandant described theaccreditation as the beginning of a new era in combat medical training within the Nigerian Air Force, reaffirming the service’s commitment to building a highly skilled and mission-ready force capable of supporting military operations and humanitarian missions.