Colonel Andrea Giuliani takes over from Colonel Donato Barnaba
Thursday 14th December, at the 16th Force Protection Wing‘ in Martina Franca (TA), the change of command ceremony for the Unit took place between the Colonel Donato Barnaba and the Colonel Andrea Giuliani, Incoming Commander.
The “handover” was chaired by Air Division General Enrico Degni, Commander of Mobility and Support Forces (CFMS), upon which the Stormo depends. The event was attended by the Vice Prefect of Taranto, Dr Maria Luisa Ruocco, the Mayor of Martina Franca, Dr Gianfranco Palmisano, and the most senior civil, religious and military authorities of the area.
The ceremony had various significant moments, culminating in the handing over of the War Flag of the 16th Wing, decorated with a gold and a silver medal for Aeronautical Valour, from the hands of Colonel Barnaba to Colonel Giuliani, as a symbolic act of the change in command of the Unit.
It Colonel Barnaby, in his farewell speech, thanked the authorities and guests gathered at the ceremony, defining his command as a period of profound change in terms of the logistic footprint of the 16th Wing. Of particular importance was the reorganisation process of the unit “Air Fusiliers” and the recent tactical evaluation called “High Impact Evaluation”which allowed the full validation of the 16th Wing as a provider of assets of“Force Protection for Air Operations”At the end of his speech, Colonel Barnaba, referring in particular to the support received from the staff, highlighted: “The operational readiness of the Wing was ensured by the synergistic efforts of its various branches, groups and organisational units; by first-rate Non-Commissioned Officers and Enlisted personnel, gifted with the know-how; unwavering and always with their hands in the mud”.
It Colonel Giuliani, experiencing Puglia for the first time, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Italian Air Force leadership for choosing him to hold such a prestigious position. “Resilience and the ability to operate outside the comfort zone – concluded the new Commander – are in the DNA of this Wing, an authoritative synthesis of operations in the service of the nation which, like any organisation, generates value when it allows its most precious resource, the human one, to feel at ease and appreciated, promoting authenticity and participation”.
During his speech, the General Degni He first congratulated Colonel Barnaba who, in a certainly less than optimal context, especially regarding staff reduction and the reorganisation of the Air Riflemen component, demonstrated adaptability, foresight and proactivity. All of this, ensuring the uninterrupted operations and functionality of the Unit. Finally, addressing the personnel, the General praised the professionalism and training of the Air Riflemen sector, a true asset to the Armed Force.
