On Monday 1st August, at the Inter-Forces Operational Command Headquarters, the handover of command took place with General S.A. Roberto Corsini. As part of the ceremony, attended by the Commander of the COI, General of the Army Corps Giorgio Cornacchione, the handover of command of the COI’s Planning Department also took place between the outgoing Brigadier General Aere Germano Quattrociocchi and the Brigadier General Aere Eugenio Lupinacci.
During his speech, General Corsini thanked all the personnel for the excellent work carried out and emphasized the desire to base his command action in the new position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force in the spirit of the broadest collaboration with the COI. General Caputo, who until July 21 held the position of Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command (CSA), in his speech thanked the Defense and Armed Forces High Commands for the trust placed in him with the conferral of the new prestigious position.
General CAPUTO, born in Naples in 1956, began his military career with the “Pegaso III” course at the Air Academy of Pozzuoli (Naples) in 1974.
He obtained the military pilot’s license on jet aircraft by attending the flight school in Amendola on a G91-T aircraft. After being transferred to the F-104 aircraft, he was assigned to the 36th Stormo of Gioia del Colle (Bari), where he obtained the “Combat Readiness Interceptor Fighter” qualification and commanded the 73rd and 90th Squadrons of the 12th Flight Group. In 1985, he was transferred to the 4th Stormo in Grosseto, where he obtained the qualification to instruct on the TF-104 aircraft and the qualification as an “Instructor of Tactical Operations Interceptor Fighter/Bomber”.
From 1990 to 1992 he commanded the 20th Operational Training Group in Grosseto. From 1993 to 1997 he managed the training of the aerotactic units, holding the positions of Chief of the 4th and 6th Sections of the 3rd Office, of the 3rd Air Staff Department. From 1997 to 1999 he assumed command of the 32nd Squadron at Amendola (Foggia). During this period, in conjunction with operations in Kosovo, he was appointed Head of the AMX National Operational Unit, established at the airbase and composed of personnel and weapon systems from all AMX units of the Air Force, which were for the first time deployed in real combat operations. As a pilot, during this period, he completed 90 hours of flight in war operations in the skies of Bosnia and Kosovo.
After the Stormo Command and until 2004, he was Chief of the 1st General Planning Office and of the 3rd Office, Training and Operations of the General Staff, as well as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Command of the Air Force Schools in Guidonia.
He was a member of the Permanent Flight Safety Commission and the Regular Advancement Commission.
From September 2004 to January 2007 he held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command.
From January 16, 2007 to December 1, 2009 he was the commander of the Institute of Military Aviation Sciences.
From December 14, 2009 to July 21, 2011 he was Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command.
Since 1 August 2011 he has held the position of Chief of Staff of the Inter-Service High Command of the State Defence Command.
He has completed over 5,200 hours of flight time, of which approximately 3,500 on the F/TF-104 aircraft, and is qualified on more than 20 types of aircraft and helicopters. He achieved the “Combat Readiness Interceptor Fighter” qualification on the F-104 aircraft and the Bomber Fighter qualification on the AMX aircraft. He is an instructor on the TF-104G, AMX-T, MB.339/A-CD, TWA, SIAI 260 and NH-500 aircraft, and a flight examiner on the MB.339 aircraft.
In 1984 and 1993, he attended the Normal and Advanced Air Warfare Courses in Florence. Furthermore, he attended various other courses, including the “Flight Safety Officer” at Norton AFB California (USA), the “Defense Resource Management” at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey (USA), and the ’Industrial College of the Armed Forces“ at the National Defense University in Washington D.C. (USA).
He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Sciences, a Master's degree in “Master of the science in national resource strategy” from the National Defense University in Washington D.C. (USA), and a Bachelor's degree in Political Sciences.
He is decorated with the following honors3: Knight of the Military Order of Italy, Commendatore of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Mauriziana Medal, Silver Medal for Meritorious Service of the Italian Red Cross, Long-Range Air Navigation Medal, Silver Medal for Long-Range Command Service, Gold Cross for Long-Service (40 years), Commemorative Cross for Maintaining Peace in Ex-Yugoslavia, Commemorative Cross for Maintaining Peace in Kosovo, NATO Medal for operations in Ex-Yugoslavia, NATO Medal for operations in Kosovo, Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Knight with Plaque of the Holy Order of St. George, Silver Medal for War Operations – Speciality ’hunting“.
