The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, has unveiled comprehensive welfare and reintegration programmes for retired Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel while calling on veterans to actively support community based security efforts across the country.
Aneke made this known during the Chief of the Air Staff Parley with veterans held at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Makurdi, where he emphasised the continued relevance of retired personnel in national security.
He said that the veterans remain critical stakeholders whose experience and vigilance can help curb crime if they promptly relay security-related information within their communities to relevant agencies.
The CAS, represented by the Director of Personnel Management at NAF Headquarters, Abuja, Air Vice Marshal David Dickson, said the parley was aimed at strengthening institutional ties with veterans and improving their welfare and post-service reintegration.
He announced the introduction of the Veterans Skill Acquisition and Employment Support Programme, to be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, noting that the initiative would help retirees acquire vocational skills and adapt military expertise for civilian employment.
Aneke also disclosed that other welfare measures include healthcare support for veterans and their spouses, Group Life Assurance Policy (GLAP) benefits for families of deceased personnel, improved remuneration for re-engaged veterans in specialised roles, burial support, welfare assistance for widows and structured veterans’ engagement programmes.
He assured that the Nigerian Air Force would continue to prioritise the dignity, welfare and reintegration of retired personnel through policy advocacy, collaboration and targeted interventions.
Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command (TAC), Makurdi, Air Vice Marshal Chinegwu Ekwueme, described the parley as a demonstration of the Air Force’s respect for its veterans and their contributions to the growth of the service.
Ekwueme said the command remains aligned with the CAS’s philosophy of building a motivated, professional and mission-ready force capable of delivering effective air power in support of national security objectives.
Meanwhile, the end-of-year 2025 parley, which ushered veterans into the New Year 2026, also featured medical services, health talks and paper presentations, including a session on translating military skills into civilian careers delivered by Squadron Leader Mathias Tsekaa (rtd.).
