In the presence of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Preziosa, General Corsini and General Magro handed over and assumed the posts of Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of DIPMA. As ordered by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Corsini left the post of Deputy Chief to take up the post of Director of DIPMA, while General Magro left the post of Director of DIPMA to take up the post of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
Several civil and military authorities, the Heads of Department/General Office of the SMA, the Deputy Heads of Department of the SMA, as well as a representative body of civilian and military personnel, attended the event.
General Corsini, after thanking the guests, the authorities and the personnel who attended the ceremony, addressed the staff of the General Staff directly, stating: “[…] allow me to emphasise just one result above all, you have grown, we have all grown together and we continue to do so, this is the true strength that gives meaning to the continuity of change, growing is the strategic goal that dominates everything else, never being satisfied, always striving for improvement without sparing energy, this was the teaching of General Bernardis yesterday, and of General Preziosa today […]. In taking on a role of this level, one naturally expects to find a staff of high human and professional qualities, I have found much more […]. This ceremony is therefore not dedicated to me but is dedicated to all of you […], thank you for what you have done and continue to do and thank you for how you do it […]“.
Finally, General Corsini thanked the Chief of Defence Staff for the new prestigious and highly sensitive role, emphasising that “[...] human resource management is and will always be the central and vital element of any complex organization, all the more so for a constantly evolving Armed Force such as the Italian Air Force“.
General Magro, in turn, after thanking everyone present, recalled that the focus of DIPMA's work is people and “[…] behind people’s names […] there are always families, expectations, ambitions and plans […], so we must remember that when we take action regarding the military, we are also affecting the lives of all those connected to it, […] therefore, it is essential to act conscientiously, to have the courage to be sincere and the duty to be transparent, whilst at the same time ensuring that operational priorities are met. Reconciling these various factors is far from straightforward, but I must give credit to all DIPMA staff for having worked with competence and diligence, and for having demonstrated human and professional sensitivity, honesty and a commitment to moral rigour […].
The outgoing Director, therefore, emphasised that DIPMA, in this recent period, “He has taken on greater responsibilities following the review of delegated powers and his appointment to the A1 post within the Armed Forces, a role which involves planning the deployment of personnel to be sent to OFCN […] and this has been achieved through an internal reorganisation, without any increase in the number of permanent posts“General Magro also recalled the “desk office” activity carried out as a “[...] winning, fundamental, indispensable tool in personnel management, as it allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of the situation, establishing mutual understanding and respect between the Administration and the personnel“. Finally, General Magro addressed the Chief of the General Staff directly, thanking him for the trust placed in him through the appointment to this new post and stating: “[...] my commitment will be as unconditional as possible to live up to expectations and to guarantee the right continuity with the work of my predecessors“.
During his speech, the Chief of the General Staff emphasised that DIPMA and the General Staff form the heart of the Armed Forces: the General Staff because it represents “the Commander's eyes, with which you see the problems and propose solutions, and DIPMA, which employs the personnel“. General Preziosa then pointed out that we are constantly called upon to adapt our way of working to national and international requirements, “[…] it is the need that dictates how we operate, and not the way we operate that dictates the need; in this sense, our understanding of the problem and the deployment of human resources are fundamental to better organising the future within a truly joint approach, whilst respecting the dignity of each individual Armed Force”. General Preziosa went on to emphasise that, given that resources fell short of requirements, “[…] it is adaptability that enables us to get the most out of our work’“, specifying that“Aviation capability can be transformed into aviation strength through three transducers: logistics […], training, and command and control; these are the three transducers […] that enable us to transform our potential and our capabilities from capability into strength“The Chief of Defence, finally, recalled that “[…] there is only one unifying force within our Armed Forces: competence and a sense of responsibility. The absence of either of these two elements in any sector – General Preziosa continued – It undermines any organisation. Today’s handover […] involves two distinguished and highly respected officers who […] are, for me and for the Air Force, a model of competence and ethics. Congratulations on the work you have done, and best wishes for what lies ahead.“.
