Since September 4th, Brigadier General Stefano Fort has been the new Commander of the 1st Air Brigade Special Operations. The event, presided over by the Commander of the Air Squad (C.S.A.), General S.A. Tiziano Tosi, was attended by the Commanders and a representative of the Departments attached to the 1st Air Brigade (9th, 16th, 17th Stormo and A.M. Canine Center), as well as the Commanders of the Departments attached to the CFMS (46th Air Brigade, 14th and 31st Stormo), the C.S.A., and the Inter-Service Commands located at the same airport. General Quattrociocchi, in his speech, expressed his personal appreciation to the men of the Brigade for having demonstrated professionalism and passion in the performance of the training and operational activities that affected the Department during their year of command.
General Quattrociocchi leaves his position to take over the role of National Cell Chief at the U.S. Forces Central Command in Tampa (Florida). General Fort, during his speech, stated that the Force Protection and Special Operations division continues to assume an increasing importance for the Armed Forces. “I intend to increase” stated General Fort, “the synergies of the sector by integrating some operational capabilities expressed by the C.F.M.S. with those of the 1st B.A. in order to optimize and increase the operational readiness of our units, maximizing the available resources.” Finally, General Tosi, after greeting the attendees, highlighted his full satisfaction with the operational and training activities carried out by the personnel of the 1st Air Brigade under the command of General Quattrociocchi, achieving the assigned objectives. The Commander of the CSA also emphasized that the “Scaglia 2012” Exercise confirmed the high level of professionalism and niche operational capabilities acquired by the Battalions that are part of the Brigade in the specific sector. General Tosi concluded his remarks by pointing out that the ongoing transformation of the military instrument involves the continuous integration of resources and operational capabilities, defining new objectives aimed at achieving the maximum possible synergy. The event concluded with the delivery of the traditional Battalions crests. The 1st Air Brigade has the task of achieving and maintaining the combat readiness of the subordinate Regiments (9th Stormtrooper Wing, 16th Force Protection Stormtrooper Wing, 17th Incursor Stormtrooper Wing and Canine Center), providing meticulous preparation of highly specialized personnel capable of operating in various environments and with particularly effective tools, as well as operational efficiency of the deployed assets.
