Medical personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have joined counterparts from the United States, Italy and Liberia at a multinational military medical competition in Italy, underscoring growing cooperation between Ghana and the U.S. in battlefield medical readiness.

The Ghanaian team took part in the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) Best Medic Competition, held from Jan. 5 to Jan. 15 at Caserma Del Din in Vicenza. The event brought together 24 military medics who were tested on their physical endurance and technical skills under simulated combat conditions.

For the second year running, Ghana fielded a joint four-member team drawn from the army, navy and air force. Officials said the participation reflects an expanding partnership between Accra and Washington, particularly in the area of medical preparedness and interoperability.

“Ghana’s continued participation in this premier event is a testament to the professional caliber of its medical personnel,” U.S. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Ghana, Rolf Olson, said in a statement. “They are not just training for a competition; they are solidifying a partnership that saves lives.”

Olson said the exercise builds on broader security cooperation between the two countries, citing recent joint humanitarian operations, including the deployment of Ghanaian troops aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft to deliver aid to Jamaica in December 2025.

The competition was structured in two phases: a knowledge-sharing segment followed by a high-intensity medical contest designed to replicate the stress and unpredictability of combat scenarios.

Training modules included chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) response, trauma care, prolonged casualty care, resiliency and mindful movement, as well as marksmanship with the M4 carbine. The two-day competitive phase, held on Jan. 13 and 14, tested participants’ ability to apply these skills while under physical and mental strain.

Organisers said the aim was to strengthen cooperation among allied forces while ensuring medics can operate effectively together during joint missions or emergency deployments.

Ghana’s team recorded a strong overall performance. Sgt. Cornelius Adagbe and Leading Seaman Ato Amonoo-Rockson placed third overall, scoring 2,789 out of a possible 3,000 points.

Amonoo-Rockson achieved the second-highest score in the U.S. Army Fitness Test with 454 out of 500, while Adagbe finished second in an unknown-distance foot march, a demanding endurance event designed to simulate battlefield movement under load.

Individual and team excellence was also recognised across several medical categories. Top performers in delayed evacuation casualty management included U.S. Army Specialist Tucker Ranney of SETAF-AF and Amonoo-Rockson. Tactical combat casualty care honours went to U.S. Army Sgt. Dylan Ray of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Ghanaian medic Captain Emmanuel Oti-Boateng.

In K-9 casualty care, U.S. Army Sgt. Kaitlin Flynn of the 173rd Airborne Brigade shared top recognition with Ghana’s Adagbe and Amonoo-Rockson.

“This competition is about building medical excellence for the fight today,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Shanett Robinson, chief medical non-commissioned officer of SETAF-AF. “We’re creating a high-stress, interoperable environment where U.S. soldiers and our international partners can validate their skills.”

Military officials said the multinational setting allowed medics from Ghana, Italy, Liberia and the United States to refine advanced trauma and delayed evacuation techniques, key capabilities in modern conflict and humanitarian response.

They added that such joint training strengthens readiness and ensures participating forces can integrate seamlessly during future crises, peacekeeping missions or disaster relief operations.