NAF Decorates New Air Warrant Officers

NAF Decorates New Air Warrant Officers

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has decorated 6 newly promoted Air Warrant Officers (AWOs) with their new ranks.

The new AWOs are; Emmanuel Abochi, Kabiru Hassan, Muhammed Abubakar, Sherrif Musa, Friday Bassey and Olaoluwa Olatunji. The decoration ceremony took place at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF) today, 22 March 2019, as part of the CAS’ First Quarter Meeting with AWOs and Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs).

The quarterly meeting provides a forum for interactions aimed at consolidating on the existing smooth working relations between the NAF leadership and all ranks within the Service for enhanced operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Speaking during the decoration ceremony, the CAS congratulated the newly promoted AWOs while noting that they had been selected for promotion based on their invaluable contributions to the development of the NAF over the years, both within their areas of specialization and in the general operations of the Service.

He said that the promotion was also premised on the resolve of the NAF to consistently reward excellence. The CAS urged the new AWOs not to rest on their oars but to rather work even harder and brace up for the challenges ahead, especially in the collective resolve to reposition the NAF and secure Nigeria and Nigerians.

He urged them to continue to apply their skills, experience, commitment and time when and wherever demanded. The CAS equally applauded the spouses and family members of the newly decorated AWOs, while imploring them to sustain the support which would enable their spouses to excel in their new ranks and higher responsibilities.

Air Marshal Abubakar also seized the opportunity to again thank the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, for approving the new Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for the Armed Forces which, he said, has tremendously improved the prospects of personnel in retirement.

The rank of AWO is the pinnacle of the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) cadre in the NAF, with only a select and deserving few being able to attain the rank before retirement from the Service. The rank comes with tremendous prestige and responsibility as well as peculiar benefits while in Service as well as upon retirement.

Some of these benefits include the provision of a brand new Toyota Hilux Utility Vehicle, along with a driver and an orderly, while in Service. The AWOs retain the Vehicles upon retirement. AWOs, along with RSMs, are the custodians of discipline and Service traditions, as well as administrators of the welfare of NCOs in NAF Formations and Units.

They are essentially the elders of the NCO cadre, who are responsible for ensuring that the NAF’s high standards of professionalism are maintained whilst inculcating the NAF’s Ethics and Core Values into their subordinates.

IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force