Handover between Col. Francesco Sassara and Col. Valerio Massa. The ceremony was presided over by the Commander of the AM Schools / 3rd Air Region
Tuesday 11 June, on the historic Parade Ground of the School for Non-Commissioned Officers of the Italian Air Force, in Caserta, the handover ceremony of the Command took place between the Colonel Francesco Sassara, outgoing Commander of the School, and the Colonel Valerio Massa, Incoming Commander.
The ceremony was presided over by Air Force Corps General Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the AM Schools / 3rd Air Region of Bari, in the presence of the civil and military authorities of Caserta and its province.
The culminating moment of the event, as well as the symbolic act of handing over the leadership of the School, the passing of the School Standard of the A.M. Specialists' School., decorated with a bronze medal for Civil Valour, from the hands of Colonel Sassara to those of Colonel Massa.
In his farewell speech, the Colonel Sassara he thanked the Higher Authorities for the trust placed in him and all the representatives of local institutions for their exceptional cooperation and closeness to the Caserta Institute during his period of command. In particular, he stated: “I was fortunate to be Commander in the centenary year of the establishment of our Armed Forces, made even richer by the 75th anniversary of the history of the School of Specialists – here – in Caserta; an anniversary celebrated through an event full of meaning and values, in close contact with the city and the numerous alumni who returned to the School where they were trained as military personnel and professionals”The outgoing Commander then expressed his gratitude to the personnel of the Specialists“ School for their dedication and achievements: “I would like to gratefully emphasise that the moral support you have given me over these past two years has been decisive in moving forward and continuing, as the school motto says, to attempt the spaces”.
Finally, Col. Sassara addressed the course attendees of the Specialists“ School: “I wish you to value this important heritage and to be, at the same time, demanding protagonists, setting yourselves great objectives, starting precisely with your studies and specialist training. However, remember, being in the military is not just a profession, it is a way of life: what you know matters, skills matter, but so does the life you put into it, without holding back”At the end of his farewell speech, Col. Sassara offered his warmest wishes to the new Commander for the exciting journey ahead of him, with the aim of ensuring that the Specialists' School remains at the cutting edge in the complex sector of specialist training in the future.
It Colonel Massa, who is leaving the post of Head of the Strategic Innovation Office of the General Office for Defence Innovation of the Defence General Staff, joining in the greetings to the representatives of local institutions and guests attending the ceremony, thanked the Commander of the Schools/3rd Air Region of Bari for the trust placed in him and Col. Francesco Sassara for the invaluable support provided to him. Addressing the personnel of the Specialists“ School, he then stated: ”The recognition of the value of professional training cannot be separated from the recognition of those responsible for it. I am addressing you, men and women of the Air Force Specialists' School. Your commitment contributes profoundly to creating a strong and prepared Armed Force; your role is fundamental, and sometimes underestimated, but without you, we could not achieve the excellence and preparation that we need”.
It Air Squad General Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the Italian Air Force Schools / 3rd Air Region, taking the floor, after greeting the School's Flag and the authorities present representing the Institutions and civil society of Caserta and its Province, retraced the stages and exceptional objectives achieved by the Specialists' School over the last two years, among which particular importance is held by the achievement of the Certification that approves the Specialists' School as Maintenance Training Organisation, in accordance with the procedures and technical requirements defined by the AER(EP).P-147 standard. The AM Specialists School in Caserta is indeed the first Italian Air Force Training Institute to complete the complex and detailed process required by the aforementioned European regulation for the provision of Basic training training in aircraft maintenance. In this regard, he announced: “As confirmation of the fine work you have done, I am pleased to publicly extend a collective commendation to the A.M. Specialist School, which is intended precisely to highlight, in a tangible way, the daily commitment that each of you has poured into achieving the stated objectives”. Gen S.A. Frigerio, after thanking Col. Sassara for the work he has done, turning to the incoming Commander, continued: “The future presents us with increasingly complex and ever-evolving scenarios, unpredictable challenges to which we must respond; this demands continuous improvement, including in the training sector, with the aim of providing our trainees with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to leave the School ready for deployment at their assigned operational units. To you, therefore, falls the task of going beyond, always looking ahead, continuing the “flight towards the future”, as the motto of the Air Force Centenary, celebrated last year, stated”.
The ceremony then concluded with the traditional signing of the guest book by the Commander of the Italian Air Force Schools / 3rd Air Region.
The School for Non-Commissioned Officers of the Italian Air Force, based in Caserta, is a military training institute for the initial basic training, specialist technical training, instruction, refresher training, specialization, qualification and retraining of personnel of the Italian Air Force, other Armed Forces, Armed and unarmed State Corps, as well as personnel from foreign Armed Forces. It reports hierarchically to the A.M. Schools Command / 3rd Air Region of Bari.
