The 36th Air Force Fighter Wing of Gioia del Colle and the Italian Sommelier Association have come together in a meeting of excellence. On Saturday, November 24, the “A. Ramirez” Military Airport of Gioia del Colle, home of the 36th Fighter Wing, hosted and supported, for the third consecutive year, an event called “Dolce Puglia” that reached its twelfth edition and was organized by the Italian Sommelier Association – Murgia Delegation.
It was an extraordinary and unique event in Puglia, where more than 100 labels and dozens of gastronomic specialties were showcased. Participants were able to tour Puglia to discover the typical gastronomic and wine excellences of the region. An original idea to enhance the territory by telling the stories of small and large winemakers who, through their work, contributed to the renewed interest in sweet wines. The event was also enhanced by the presence of actress Anna Falchi, who acted as the patron of the event.
Sponsored by the Senate of the Republic, the Puglia Region (Department of Agro-Food Resources) and the Municipality of Gioia del Colle, “Dolce Puglia” is a noble example of how wine-making and agro-food culture can also be combined with charity, thanks to the sponsorship granted by the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association – Bari Section, which this year celebrated its 50th anniversary as an association.
In his greeting address, the Commander of the 36th Fighter Wing, Colonel Emanuele Spigolon, emphasized that: it is truly a golden opportunity. The passion we put into our work and the love for our land are the common denominator between the 36th Fighter Wing and the gastronomic excellence of the region in which we operate. “Dolce Puglia” is a moment of sharing between different realities that, on this occasion, strengthen their relationships in a union of excellence and quality. Every detail and every small part of the processing and production processes is meticulously handled with the utmost professionalism, in the awareness that the strength and therefore the true difference lies in the attention to detail. Thus, every product becomes delicious to taste and beautiful to admire. And at the end of the day, the Aviatori, like the Professionals of “Dolce Puglia”, do not feel tired, happy and satisfied for having contributed, with their excellent work, to the good and the future of Our Country.
The 36th Fighter Wing, which is subordinate to the Air Force Command for Combat Forces, is one of the Air Force’s air defense wings that ensures the surveillance of the national airspace 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with an integrated defense system, even in peacetime, in comparison with those of other NATO member countries. The service is guaranteed – for the surveillance part, identification and control – by the 11th D.A.M.I. Group of Poggio Renatico (FE) and the 22nd Radar Group of Licola (NA), regarding the flight intervention, by the 4th Fighter Wing (GR), by the 36th Fighter Wing (BA) and by the 37th Fighter Wing (TP), all equipped with Eurofighter fighter aircraft. Starting in January 2017, the Air Force also activated a Eurofighter F-2000 cell at the 51st Squadron in Istrana in order to optimize the coverage of the national airspace, with the aim of generally reducing intervention times and promptly countering any threats. Furthermore, since March 2018, the F-35 aircraft of the 32nd Squadron in Amendola have also been integrated into the air defense system, contributing with specific operational and cutting-edge technological capabilities to the defense of the Italian skies.
