Colonel Michele Oballa has succeeded Colonel Giancarlo Maragucci. The event, presided over by the Air Squadrono Commander, Air Squadrono General Tiziano Tosi, accompanied by the Combat Forces Commander, Air Division General Roberto Nordio, took place before the War Flag of the 32nd Wing, decorated with a Silver Medal of Military Valor, and the Standard of the City of Foggia, decorated with a Gold Medal of Military Valor and a Gold Medal of Civil Valor.
Colonel Maragucci bid farewell to the men and women of the Wing, whom he had the privilege of commanding for two years, fully expressing the sentiments that united him to the personnel in their daily professional commitment, declaring: “It is with deep emotion that I today relinquish command of this prestigious Department of the Air Force. Men and women of the 32nd Wing, you have been an excellent team and the facts speak to bear witness to all that you have accomplished.“Colonel Maragucci will be assigned to the Joint Operations Command (C.O.I.) based in Rome. In his inaugural speech, Colonel Oballa expressed his deep emotion and heartfelt pride at the honour of taking command of one of the most prestigious departments of the Air Force, stating that “The excellent work carried out to date must continue with ever greater momentum and passion. My wish as Commander is to meet your gaze in a few years” time, finding in you that pride and that sense of accomplishment at being part of our homeland, and at having actively contributed to its growth for the future of our children.”. With these words, aiming to express the already strong sense of belonging that unites him with the members of the 32nd Wing, Colonel Oballa indicated the determination with which it will be necessary to achieve the objectives that the Armed Force requires.
The Commander of the Combat Forces, General Nordio, began his speech by thanking the guests and local authorities present, stating: “I greet the captaincy that has always welcomed and made generations of aviators feel at home.to continue by saying -“The 32nd Wing is the most complex unit I've encountered among the Italian Air Force's combat wings. Five flight lines with different operational capabilities coexist here, with pressing objectives to achieve, combined with continuous involvement in operations outside national borders and the obligation to train new AM-X line pilots within the required timeframe and to a very high standard.”. Finally, General Tosi, in addressing the authorities present and expressing sincere appreciation for the work carried out by the Wing's personnel over the last two years, underlined that: “The change at the head of a Wing is always a significant and important event. Here at the 32nd Wing, it is even more significant considering the importance of the Department, one of the most complex and efficient realities of the Armed Force. The extraordinary nature of the results you have achieved is even greater if one considers the uniqueness of this Wing. The only ones to manage such a considerable number of weapon systems.“. Colonel Michele Oballa was born in Conegliano Veneto (TV) on 23 March 1969 and joined the Air Force in 1988, attending the Academy with the “Ibis IV” course. During his career, he held the positions of Commander of the 103rd Flying Group and Head of Operations Office at the 51st Wing in Istrana (TV), Deputy Commander of the Air Task Force “Seagull” in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Head of the 3rd Section of the 1st Office of the 3rd Department of the Air Force Staff. He has 2191 flying hours to his name, of which over 1700 flying hours are on the AM-X “Ghibli” aircraft, with over 80 flying hours in operational missions during the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. He is qualified to pilot the SF 260, T-37, T-38, S-208, MB-339, G-91T, AM-X, and AM-XT aircraft. Colonel Oballa graduated in Aeronautical Sciences, is married and has 3 children.
