Dr Andrea Garau in Poggio Renatico on the day marking the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, the patron saint of aviators. On 10 December, Dr Andrea Garau, Chief Public Prosecutor at the Court of Ferrara, visited the COA. Dr Garau was received by General D.A. Antonio Conserva, Commander of the COA, and during his stay at the base he attended, as Guest of Honour, the Corps Lunch held on the day on which the Italian Air Force celebrates its patron saint, the Virgin of Loreto. Earlier that morning, a religious service in honour of Our Lady of Loreto had been held in the Basilica of San Giorgio fuori le Mura in Ferrara, officiated by Archbishop Monsignor Giancarlo Perego in the presence of local authorities and a large contingent of veterans“ and service associations. At the end of the religious service, the Commander of the Air Force Command presented Monsignor Perego with a statuette of the Virgin of Loreto as a token of gratitude for his decision to attend in person on such an important and significant occasion for the Italian Air Force. Subsequently, a Corps Lunch was held in the joint canteen at the Poggio Renatico base, attended by all personnel on the base, including the Chief Prosecutor, Dr Garau. In his address, the COA Commander referred to the traditional values embodied by Our Lady of Loreto, ”Patroness of Aviators“, and reiterated the importance the Italian Air Force places on the human element – its personnel – who, despite the rising average age, remain an invaluable and irreplaceable resource even within a technologically cutting-edge air force such as ours. During the social gathering, General Conserva also presented two ONFA scholarships to two young people who had particularly distinguished themselves through their outstanding academic performance over the past school year. The COA Commander, in congratulating the award winners and their families present, highlighted the commendable work that ONFA has always carried out, both in providing support to students and in ensuring a constant bond between the Italian Air Force and the orphans of its personnel. The Chief Prosecutor then took the floor; thanking the Commanding General for the invitation to this celebration, he highlighted ”the atmosphere of cordiality, friendship and affection that prevails amongst you“. He then paid tribute to the religious occasion, making specific reference to ”the beautiful words of the Aviator’s Prayer, which speaks of the skies you fly through and which bring you closer to the Lord’. At the end of the Corps Lunch, Dr Garau had the opportunity to learn about the COA’s operational activities by visiting the Italian AOC (Air Operations Centre) and the D.A.M.I. (Integrated Air and Missile Defence) Unit. To conclude the visit, the Commander of the COA presented the Command’s Crest to the distinguished guest who, in keeping with tradition, left a permanent record of his visit by signing the Book of Honour.
