During the ceremony, there was also the swearing-in of a group of newly recruited athletes assigned to the Air Force Sports Centre.
Time for rotations and handovers at CSSAM (Historical and Sports Centre of the Italian Air Force) of Vigna di Valle. On Friday 13th May, Lieutenant Colonel Marco Brigotti, having remained in command of the Air Force Sports Centre for about two years and transferred to another location, he handed over his post to Lieutenant Colonel Marcello Majorani, until the previous day, Director of the Vigna di Valle AM Historical Museum. In turn, the Lt. Col. Majorani has been succeeded as Director of the Museum by Lieutenant Colonel Arturo Alfredo Caccetta.
Moreover, during the ceremony, a group of newly enlisted athletes assigned to the Italian Air Force Sports Centre has sworn an oath of allegiance to the Republic. These young people will go on to strengthen the Clay Pigeon Shooting, Canoe and Winter Sports teams.
In his farewell speech as Director of the Museum and inauguration at the head of the Sports Centre, the Lieutenant Colonel Majorani stated: “During the short time I spent in command of the Museum, I hope I have given, as far as was possible, all my experience. As for the Sports Centre, I shall try to do the same, that is, learn and put into practice what I have learned.
It Lieutenant Colonel Brigotti, for his part, wanted to thank the staff for their cooperation: “[…] I am proud and honoured to have taken on this prestigious role, even if for a short time. […] I have seen first-hand the enthusiasm with which you carry out your work; the passion that drives you is tangible. The Sports Centre is a completely different reality from any I have experienced thus far. In you I see, as well as sports champions, serious professionals eager to bring the Italian Air Force and Italy to the highest steps in every discipline. In just over a year we have faced two Olympic Games, several World Championships, and many discussions on future projects which I hope you will continue to pursue with Lieutenant Colonel Majorani. Throughout my tenure, I have approached the role by promoting teamwork and the pursuit of common, shared goals within a stimulating, professional and collaborative working environment—qualities that must be part of our daily actions, alongside ethics, mutual respect and a proud spirit of belonging. My wish for you is that you maintain the levels of excellence you have achieved so far and pursue ambitious and challenging goals, with a view to continuous improvement.”.
Finally, the Lieutenant Colonel Caccetta, upon taking up the role of new Director of the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force, first thanked Lieutenant Colonel Majorani and all the Museum staff for the welcome and then added: “[…] in these few days spent here at Vigna di Valle I have already seen many of you working with vitality and enthusiasm, my commitment will be to enable everyone to express themselves to the full. Objectives are achieved together, where each person makes their best resources available. An intense period full of challenges awaits us, due to the approaching Centenary of the foundation of the Italian Air Force and to the enhancement and developments that will involve the Museum. This period of major changes may involve moments of particular difficulty, but it is also true that times of crisis and change are likewise characterised by great opportunities that we will be able to seize together only if we remain united and aware of our role and our abilities.
While thanking Lieutenant Colonel Brigotti for his work and the professionalism shown over these years in running the Sports Centre at levels of excellence, the Commander of the CSSAM, Colonel Rosario D’Auria, he wished Lieutenant Colonels Majorani and Caccetta well in their new roles, which are particularly demanding in view of the now imminent centenary of the Armed Force. “…we are approaching the centenary: we will be the lucky ones to experience it from the front row. [...] The whole Vigna di Valle Airport will be called upon to represent the Italian Air Force and of this we are participating builders and creators. It is a heavy responsibility that we have on our shoulders, first and foremost here at the Historical Museum: a major transformation is underway, which will make these surroundings cutting-edge in terms of modern museography and museology and therefore the Museum, already a place where our memories were gathered, will become an even more welcoming place and even more beautiful and exciting to visit with an even greater prominence at a national and international level. For our Sports Centre: I wish the new youngsters who today swell the ranks of our athletes to give us new satisfactions, which will also be the result of the obscure and little-known work carried out by the personnel of Vigna di Valle. I am proud and honoured to have been part of this project.“
At the CSSAM of Vigna di Valle operate the Sports Centre A.M. which protects the national sports heritage through careful research of the best talent, contributing to the technical and theoretical development of sports dynamics and It Museum of History of the Italian Air Force, whose mission is to promote aeronautical culture, history, and traditions of the Armed Force. The Museum is currently closed for refurbishment and expansion works. Reopening is scheduled for 2023, as part of the celebrations for the Centenary of the foundation of the Italian Air Force. The CSSAM also provides logistical support to SICRAL (Sistema Italiano per Comunicazioni Riservate e ALlarmi) an important joint-forces telecommunication centre, and to the C.T.M. – Technical Centre for Meteorology.
