This took place on Friday 19 December, in the presence of Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squadron General Antonio Conserva, at the historic Hall “Madonna di Loreto” of Palazzo Aeronautica in Rome, the handover of the office of President Chief of Non-Commissioned Officers, Graduates and Enlisted Personnel between 1st Lieutenant Mario Bonaventura, outgoing, and the 1st Lieutenant Roberto Carpentieri, subsequent.
Visibly moved, the President Bonaventura, making his way to the lectern, he offered a deeply emotional greeting to the numerous Presidents from all over Italy and to his predecessors present at the ceremony, defining the latter, in particular, “precursors” of an institutional figure who, over time, has acquired ever-increasing concreteness and credibility within the Armed Force. Following this, 1st Warrant Officer Bonaventura stressed the importance of moral education for new generations: “The educational mission is fundamental, as is passing on the founding values of the Air Force to young people, so that tradition translates into operational excellence: the work carried out daily in the Departments remains the beating heart and the most important commitment of the entire organisation.”. With reference to a rigorous view of duty, Bonaventure emphasised: “A strict soldier is an effective soldier“..., a testament to how authority and respect for the rules are a guarantee of success for the mission. Finally, in recalling the identity of the personnel they represent, the outgoing President concluded by citing the historical motto of the profession: “Our actions have always been summarised by a formula: ‘With a single step’. It is in this vein that we must recognise ourselves, acting with humility e Availability, two pillars that I believe to be the true keystones of effective command action.”
The floor then passed to the new President, the 1st Lt. Carpentieri, who assumed the role with deep emotion and a sense of responsibility. After expressing heartfelt thanks to his predecessor for the valuable work carried out and the moral legacy left behind, the new President outlined the guidelines for his term, focusing on the human factor and underlining the importance of tailored and effective communication: “We must learn to listen carefully and adapt our language according to the age and roles of our staff. Only in this way can we be truly effective in our actions as Presidents: speaking a language that reaches everyone, from the youngest to the most experienced..The new Chief President then issued an appeal for unity and active participation from every single member of the Armed Forces: ”No one should feel excluded. Listening must be our compass. We must operate as a cohesive team, a unit that is genuinely useful to the Armed Force and knows how to provide concrete and constant support to the Command's actions..”
To seal the ceremony, the intervention of Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Antonio Conserva, who wanted to highlight the strategic role of the Presidents in the Armed Force's connective tissue. “We are here to celebrate the Power of Presidents.“this figure is fundamental for conveying to young people the values of the Department and the identity of the Armed Force as a whole,“ began the Chief of SMA, highlighting how this figure is fundamental for conveying to young people the values of the Department and the identity of the Armed Force as a whole.“We are relying heavily on you. The President's ability to communicate and mediate is essential: your work helps to understand and accept decisions that can sometimes be complex or painful. We must explain to our young people that service in the Air Force is a lifelong commitment, where sacrifice for others, especially in emergencies, is the supreme value. Feeling like an integral part of a single team is fundamental..The General then used a powerful technological analogy to describe the compactness needed between the ranks: ”Just as in the cyber world, where a single vulnerability can compromise an entire Command and Control system, so too is cohesion crucial within our organisation. If unity falters, the effectiveness of the whole is put at risk..The Chief of Staff of the Army, in conclusion, expressed his gratitude to the former Presidents present, acknowledging their role in laying the foundations for successful mandates, such as the recently concluded one of 1st Lgt. Bonaventura. To conclude, the Chief of Staff of the Army announced an important structural innovation that will come into effect next January to enhance the Presidents” actions: a new support staff. Each President of Non-Commissioned Officers, Graduates, and Privates will have two direct collaborators, chosen internally, with one figure from the Sergeants' role and one from the Privates' role. This innovation aims to create constant generational interaction, ensuring that the concerns of each category are heard and integrated with ever-increasing reach.
The charge of President Chief SGMT of the Italian Air Force was established in 2016. The same is chosen from among the current Presidents of the various Branches of the Armed Force and nominated directly by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. In addition to being the focal point between the High Authority and the represented personnel, the Chief President is responsible for coordinating the activities of the Presidents operating in the Air Force Departments, as well as being a point of reference for exchange relations at an international and interforce level. The appointment must take into account the overall qualities of the chosen military personnel, with particular reference to charisma, training, experience, competence, capabilities, and, if possible, knowledge of the English language. He is a consultant to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on matters of human and social promotion for Non-Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and other Ranks of the entire Armed Force; he coordinates the activities of the Presidents of the Non-Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and other Ranks of the Armed Force bodies; he strives to enhance the morale, sense of belonging, and affection for the Air Force within the personnel he represents; he can be consulted by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force regarding possible employment solutions for Non-Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and other Ranks within the Armed Force, in relation to any individual and/or collective issues; he is the individual responsible for the exchange of experiences, studies, or programmes concerning roles similar to his own, at an interforce and international level; he may attend Air Force representation events with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, both in Italy and abroad. The role of the Chief President of Non-Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and other Ranks is officially included in the Air Force Staff Directive – 1st Department – Organisation and Personnel OD-1.
