The appointment during Cabinet Meeting No. 57 on Thursday 6th December. General Preziosa, who currently holds the position of Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence, will take over from Air Force General Giuseppe Bernardis, to whom the Cabinet expressed warm thanks for his constant commitment. General S.A. Pasquale PREZIOSA was born in Bisceglie (BA) on 21 March 1953. He joined the Air Force in 1971 with Course Marte III of the Air Force Academy.
In 1972, he obtained his aeroplane pilot licence on the P 148 aircraft, and in 1976, his military pilot licence on the G91T aircraft.
After qualifying on the F104 aircraft, he was assigned, in 1977, to the 156th Group of the 36th Wing as a fighter-bomber pilot.
During his assignment to the 36th Wing, he commanded the 382nd and subsequently the 384th squadron of the 156th Group.
He attended the Normal, Superior and Flight Safety courses at the Air Force War College in Florence.
In 1982 he qualified as a jet instructor and in 1983 he qualified as an instructor on the TORNADO aircraft at the English base of Cottesmore.
From 1985 to August 1987, he held the position of Chief of Operations of the 36th Wing, and from August 1987 to September 1988, he held the position of Commander of the 156th Group of the 36th Wing.
Between July 1989 and January 1992, he served as Flight Assistant and Head of the Private Secretariat to Major General Giorgio SANTUCCI and Major General Adelchi PILLININI, both Commanders of the 2nd Air Region.
Promoted to Colonel in December 1991, he was subsequently assigned to the Air Force Staff as Head of the 2nd Section of the General Planning, Programming and Budget Office.
In 1993, he attended the “Defense Resources Management Course” in the United States of America.
From 12 September 1994 to 9 September 1996, he held the position of Commander of the 36th Wing.
From September 1996 to 31 October 1997, he held the position of Head of the 2nd Office of the General Planning, Programming and Budget Office of the SMA, concurrently holding the position of Head of the General Planning, Programming and Budget Office of the SMA from May 1997, during a vacancy.
From 1 November 1997 to 23 July 1998, he held the position of Head of the 2nd Office of the General Planning Department of the SMA and from July to October 1998, that of Deputy Head of the aforementioned Department.
From October 1998 to August 1999, he attended the 50th Session of the IASD.
On 1 January 1999, he was promoted to Air Brigadier General and, from 23 August 1999 to 3 December 2001, he held the post of Head of the Air Staff's Office of the Air Force.
On 4 December 2001, he took up the post of Deputy Head of Department of the 3rd Department of SMA and, between 15 June 2002 and 30 July 2002, he worked at the “Enduring Freedom” Response Cell in TAMPA (USA) as the Italian Senior National Representative.
On 30 August 2003, he took up the appointment of Defence Attaché and Defence Cooperation Attaché in Washington D.C. On 1 January 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal.
From 11 September 2006 to 14 February 2008, he held the position of Head of the General Office for Planning, Programming and Budget of the Defence Staff.
From 15 February 2008 to 4 October 2009, he held the position of Head of the III Department of the Defence Staff.
From 5 October 2009, he has been available to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for special assignments.
On 22 June 2009, he was promoted to Air Force General.
From 21 April 2010 to 5 December 2011, he held the position of Commander of the AM Schools/3rd Air Region.
From 6 December 2011 to 24 February 2013, he served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence.
He has over 2,300 flight hours to his name, participating in air operations in Bosnia on the TORNADO aircraft.
He also holds degrees in International Diplomatic Sciences and Aeronautical Sciences.
He has been married to Mrs Elisabetta since 1978 and has two daughters: Stefania and Roberta. From 25 February 2013, he took up the post of Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
Gen. PREZIOSA has been awarded the honour of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the Maurician Medal for ten years of military service, the Gold Aeronautical Medal for long navigation, the Gold Cross with Star for Service Longevity, the NATO Medal for service in the former Yugoslavia and Kosovo, the Legion of Merit Medal conferred by the President of the United States of America, the Gold Medal of the Eagles, First Class, of the Republic of Albania, the Honour Badge of belonging to the 'Office of Direct Collaboration of the Minister of Defence”, and the Service Ribbon for service with the Defence Staff. Curriculum updated on 25/02/2013
