Monrovia — Medical professionals from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) joined counterparts from Ghana, Italy, and the United States to test their medical proficiency during the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) Best Medic Competition, held at Caserma Del Din in Vicenza, Italy, from January 5-15, 2026.
The AFL team delivered an exceptional performance, earning all four competitors the U.S. Army Achievement Medal (AAM), a prestigious award recognizing outstanding achievement or meritorious service that exceeds standard duties.
According to a release from the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, the event challenged 24 medical personnel to demonstrate physical endurance and technical proficiency under simulated combat conditions. For the first time in the competition's history, the AFL fielded a four-member team, underscoring Liberia's growing expertise in tactical combat casualty care.
The training aligns with the AFL's strategic objective of establishing an independent tactical combat casualty care program. Liberian personnel have continued to sharpen these skills through sustained engagement with the Michigan National Guard under the State Partnership Program.
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Participants underwent intensive instruction in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) response, resiliency and mindful movement, M4 carbine marksmanship, trauma care, and prolonged casualty care. The training culminated in a two-day competition designed to replicate the physical and mental demands of lifesaving operations in austere environments.
"This competition is about building medical excellence for the fight tonight," said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Shanett Robinson, chief medical noncommissioned officer of SETAF-AF. "We're creating a high-stress, interoperable environment where U.S. Soldiers and our international medics can validate their skills."
The multinational setting enabled Ghanaian, Italian, Liberian, and U.S. medics to refine advanced capabilities in delayed evacuation and trauma management, ensuring greater interoperability and readiness to respond collectively to future crises.
Officials of the AFL say the exercise is part of a long-term partnership between Liberia and the U.S. Army, which dates back to the post-civil war rebuilding of Liberia's security sector, when the U.S. played a central role in restructuring and professionalizing the AFL following its disbandment in 2003. With support from the U.S. Department of Defense, the AFL was reconstituted as a non-political, professional force grounded in democratic civilian control.
A key pillar of the relationship is the State Partnership Program (SPP) between Liberia and the Michigan National Guard, established to enhance military professionalism, operational readiness, and institutional capacity. Through this partnership, Liberian soldiers receive continuous training in areas such as medical readiness, disaster response, logistics, engineering, leadership development, and peacekeeping operations.
The U.S. military also supports the AFL through joint exercises, advisory missions, and specialized training programs coordinated by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), including engagements led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). These initiatives aim to strengthen interoperability, improve tactical skills, and prepare the AFL to respond effectively to both national security threats and humanitarian emergencies.
Over the years, the partnership has contributed significantly to the AFL's ability to participate in international peacekeeping missions, respond to public health crises, and support civil authorities during national emergencies. Both governments have repeatedly described the collaboration as a long-term commitment to regional stability, professional military development, and shared security objectives in West Africa.
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The Michigan National Guard and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) partnership, established in 2009/2010 under the DoD's State Partnership Program (SPP), aims to professionalize the AFL post-civil war, fostering mutual defense, democracy, and stability through exchanges in areas like NCO development, medical support, legal training, and logistics, building on Michigan's long SPP history and Liberia's need for self-sufficient security forces. Officials say this enduring relationship supports the AFL's growth into a responsible, capable military, bridging security gaps in West Africa through shared knowledge and skill development.
