Tuesday 6 September, the handover ceremony at the Command took place at Piazzale Medaglie d’Oro.’Air Force Academy, between the Air Brigadier General Paolo Tarantino, outgoing Commander, and the Air Brigadier General Luigi Casali, Incoming Commander. The ceremony was presided over by Air Force Corps General Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the Air Force Schools / 3rd Air Region of Bari, in the presence of numerous civilian and military authorities from Campania.
It General Tarantino, after three years in command, in his farewell speech, he thanked all the staff of the Institute who have served during this period and who, through their work, have enabled important, complex, and decisive objectives to be achieved. He also addressed all the students: “We are an important slice of the best young people in this country. To train them as best as possible, their peculiar characteristics must be recognised, positive aspects highlighted, and any weaknesses supported. In doing so, we have identified broad areas for experimenting with new approaches, and we have placed importance on Challenge Learning, enrolling our Cadets in national and international inter-university competitions. We have created activities with high practical content that our Cadets lead autonomously, interacting with other Universities, Research Centres, and champions of national Industry. We have pushed for integration between the Services and Corps within the same Course, providing pathways that are as homogeneous as possible, experienced side-by-side, and assessed by the same yardstick.”To conclude his speech, he extended warm wishes to the new Commander: “Your character and professional standing will lead you to an extraordinary experience. From a human perspective, you will be swept away by the enthusiasm and determination of your students. Professionally, you will be impressed by the experience and abilities of your colleagues. From a family perspective, you will provide your loved ones with a context that is certainly unique, yet welcoming, profound and of rare beauty. Today, much is entrusted to you: the fundamental strategic function of every organisation, namely the development of its Leadership.”. General Tarantino, at the end of his tenure, will be transferred to the Italian Embassy in Berlin to take up the post of Defence Attaché, accredited in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
After the handover, the General Casali, 42nd Commander of the Air Force Academy.“It is absolutely not simple to try and express the tangle of feelings and emotions I experience today as I take Command of this prestigious Institute, responsible for the training of all Italian Air Force Officers. I am, first and foremost, honoured by the trust placed in me by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and by General Frigerio, to whom I extend my sincerest and heartfelt thanks.” Turning then to all the staff: “I assure you of my unconditional dedication and utmost commitment to ensure clear, safe, and transparent leadership, as well as a harmonious working environment. I ask you to continue to demonstrate the excellence you have displayed in recent”, and thought has also been given to those who are the beating heart of this Institute: “Trainees, aspiring personnel and attendees, I ask for commitment and determination in order to crown your dream, in order to reach the ambitious goals that your journey requires. You are the leading actors in a path that will bring you great satisfaction in serving the country by using innovative systems and implementing cutting-edge technologies. It is our task, with the support of the Schools Command and other branches of the Armed Force, to provide you with the necessary tools to achieve the goals that await you. Take advantage of the opportunity given to you with intelligence and determination. You are the future of our Armed Force!”
It Air Force Corps General Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the Air Force Schools/3rd Air Region, in his speech, addressing the personnel, emphasised: “To the officers, non-commissioned officers, enlisted personnel and civilian staff of the Air Force Academy, I wish to express my personal satisfaction for the high level of professionalism you have consistently demonstrated in the activities conducted under the careful and timely guidance of General Tarantino, notwithstanding the significant limitations and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from which the entire country, after more than two years, is still laboriously recovering. In this regard, I must acknowledge your admirable ability to manage the protocols imposed by the pandemic situation, which has ensured the recruitment, enlistment, and training of all attendees without interruption and in full compliance with the health and safety regulations for everyone.”And turning to General Casali: “As you said in your speech, the future presents us with increasingly complex and constantly evolving scenarios, unpredictable challenges to which we must respond. This requires continuous improvement in every sector, starting with selection and training, in order to pursue the identity and capability growth of the Air Force, as an indispensable component of the national military instrument. To do this, we must continue with determination to invest in human capital – the only true enabler of aerospace power effects – through training, in order to develop their skills, critical thinking, analytical capacity and leadership. It is therefore up to you to go further, always look ahead and – as is often said – raise the bar a little higher, continuing the ’Flight towards the future,“ as the motto of the Air Force's Centenary, which will be celebrated next year, states. This will also involve this Academy with a highly significant technical-scientific Symposium concerning the topics addressed and the participation.” And at the end of his speech: “I would now like to address the cadets who so fittingly grace this event and who have always constituted the very essence and”.
