Medical professionals from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) joined counterparts from Italy, Liberia and the United States to test their medical proficiency during the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) Best Medic Competition at Caserma Del Din in Vicenza, Italy, Jan. 5–15, 2026.
The event challenged 24 medical personnel to demonstrate physical endurance and technical expertise under simulated combat conditions.
For the second consecutive year, Ghana fielded a joint four-person team composed of Army, Navy and Air Force personnel. Their participation underscores a sustained security partnership with the United States, particularly in the area of medical readiness.
“Ghana’s continued participation in this premier event is a testament to the professional caliber of its medical personnel,” said Rolf Olson, chargé d’affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Accra.
“They are not just training for a competition; they are strengthening a partnership that saves lives. This builds on our broader security cooperation, such as the recent C-17 flight that transported Ghana Armed Forces personnel in December 2025 to Jamaica to deliver humanitarian assistance.”
The event consisted of two phases: a knowledge exchange and a competitive evaluation. Training included chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response, resiliency and mindful movement, M4 carbine marksmanship, trauma care, and prolonged casualty care.
The two-day competition, held Jan. 13–14, replicated the physical and mental demands faced in life-saving combat environments. GAF personnel delivered an exceptional performance.
Sgt. Cornelius Adagbe and Leading Seaman Ato Amonoo-Rockson secured third place overall with 2,789 out of 3,000 possible points. Amonoo-Rockson earned the second-highest U.S. Army Fitness Test score with 454 out of 500, while Adagbe placed second in the unknown-distance foot march.
Top individual performances included U.S. Army Spc. Tucker Ranney, SETAF-AF medic, and Amonoo-Rockson for delayed-evacuation casualty management; U.S. Army Sgt. Dylan Ray, 173rd Airborne Brigade medic, and Capt. Emmanuel Oti-Boateng, GAF medic, for tactical combat casualty care; and U.S. Army Sgt. Kaitlin Flynn, 173rd Airborne Brigade, for overall medical excellence.
“This competition is about building medical excellence for the fight today,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Shanett Robinson, chief medical noncommissioned officer for SETAF-AF. “We create a high-stress, interoperable environment where U.S. soldiers and international medics can validate and sharpen their skills.”
The multinational setting enabled Ghanaian, Italian, Liberian and U.S. medics to refine advanced capabilities in trauma management and delayed evacuation, ensuring forces are prepared to integrate seamlessly during future crises.
SETAF-AF prepares Army forces, executes crisis response operations, enables strategic competition, and strengthens partner capacity in support of U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command.
By Joseph Armstrong Gold-Alorgbey
