On Thursday, 19 December, the solemn ceremony for the presentation of the Spadino 113 students from the first course.
The event, a symbol of tradition and values, represents one of the most significant moments in the training of young cadets, officially marking the start of their military career.
The ceremony was attended by the Commander of the Air Force Schools' Command / 3rd Air Region, Air Force Corps General Silvano Frigerio making the day even more special was the presence of the godparents of the Falco Courses. To bear witness to the strong and indissoluble bond that unites different generations, Air Squad General Giampiero Gargini was present, Capo Corso del Falco III, Air Force General Luigi Del Bene, Capo Corso del Falco IV and Major Andrea Luccini, Head Corso del Falco V.
Welcoming the civilian and military authorities and the families of the young cadets was Commander of the Air Force Academy, Air Marshal Luigi Casali who, addressing the protagonists of the ceremony, highlighted: “…La consegna dello Spadino represents an important Exchange of Traditions and of values that have been passed down through generations among those who attend the Air Force Academy. Congratulations on this important milestone, which will be followed by others on this intense and exciting path of professional and human growth that awaits you. Continue on this journey with determination, willpower, and passion, never resting on your laurels. The path that awaits you will not be easy, but it will allow you to live a unique experience, exploring new domains using emerging technologies but above all serving our country.
Subsequently, after the blessing by the Military Chaplain, the cadets of the 1st Course received their swords from the third-year aspirants (Drago VI), in front of family, military and civilian authorities, and Academy personnel, who gathered to celebrate the start of a new generation of future Commanders.
The most exciting moment was the ceremony formula between the First Aspirant “We entrust the rapier to you, Students, a symbol of this institution's traditions.... and the Head of the 1st Course: ”...“It is with honour that we accept this glorious emblem, aware of what it represents and we are committed to upholding its prestige.”The guarantor for this handover of values, virtues, and traditions of the Air Force Academy was Air Admiral Luigi Del Bene, Course Leader of Falco IV and the most senior serving godfather.
Lo Spadino, small but significant, represents not only a distinctive element of the uniform, but also an invitation to cherish the values of Loyalty, Courage e sacrifice. With this handover, the Aeronautical Academy renews its commitment to training men and women ready to serve with honour in the ranks of the Air Force, preparing them for the challenges of the future with competence and determination.
During the ceremony, the following were also presented:
At the end of the award ceremony, the Commander of the Air Force School Command / 3rd Air Region, Air Force General Silvano Frigerio: “The handover of the sabre concretely and tangibly symbolises access to the first class of Regular Air Force Academy courses. It highlights belonging to our Armed Forces, sharing your feelings of pride with those who have stood by it from 1923 to the present day”. And then he concluded:“… I invite you to draw upon your best qualities, so that you can enthusiastically overcome those obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable, but which are certainly within your reach. Remember that you have been selected from the best young people in our country; therefore, never give up, always strive for excellence in whatever you do, and above all – as I often like to say – dream the impossible and you will achieve it!”
In the evening, the traditional “Pingue” award ceremony took place, one of the most significant moments for the cadets of the first regular course. With this event, rich in tradition, the “Pingue” course receives an official welcome into the Academy from the senior cadets of the second year and, more generally, from the Air Force.
This ceremony represented the culmination of a months-long process of bringing the “senior course” and the first course, which presented its traditional symbols: the rose window, the penguin, and the Patch.
This year too was marked by a moment of solidarity: the Eolo VI Course has indeed organised a charity collection, the proceeds of which were donated to the Association “Onlus Santobono Pausilipon in Naples for the oncology research and development of the paediatric department of the hospital of the same name.
The’Air Force Academy It depends Air Force Schools Command/3rd Air Region. It is a university-level military institute of higher education responsible for recruiting and training young people who aspire to become officers in the Air Force. By attending the Academy’s regular courses, students can become Second Lieutenants in the Permanent Active Service of the Air Force, in the standard Flying Branch (pilots) and in the standard branches of the Air Force, the Air Force Engineering Corps, the Air Force Quartermaster Corps and the Air Force Medical Corps. The Institute also runs courses for Officer Cadets (Reserve and Fixed-Term Pilots and Navigators) and directly appointed Second Lieutenants (in both the Regular and Special Branches); finally, the Academy’s curriculum includes courses with a specialised aeronautical focus, designed for foreign personnel and members of other armed forces.
