Thursday 16th June, the handover ceremony with Brigadier General Rosso, in the presence of Air Lieutenant General Marani. General Rosso concludes his experience as Chief of Staff of the Logistic Command after just over a year to take up the role of Head of the IV Department ‘Logistics’ of the Air Staff. In his speech, he thanked the Logistic Commander, the Division Commanders, the Heads of Services, and his own personnel, and then highlighted that the excellent relationship established with the entire High Command will undoubtedly continue, in the performance of his new role, under the banner of fruitful collaboration, taking into account that “...relations with the IV Department SMA can only be absolutely synergistic and oriented towards the same solution, working together for the same objective”. Finally, a thought addressed to General Draghi: “...speaking with my men at the Staff, I recalled that he was one of my instructors at the 20th; he is one of the people I have always identified as an example due to his moral and professional qualities, and therefore, I am certain that the Staff will be led by someone more experienced and more capable than myself.”.
General Draghi thanked the Logistic Commander for the trust placed in him and wished the staff of the General Staff good work.
General Marani, speaking at the conclusion of the ceremony, thanked General Rosso for his work, remarking how his experience at the Logistics Command Staff would undoubtedly be useful in his new role “...the fact that there is someone in the Air Force Staff who knows the Logistics Command, and knows it from every angle, will certainly help in a better definition of roles and activities...”. General Marani finally extended a welcome greeting to General Draghi, wishing him good luck.
General Draghi was born in Civitella Paganico (Grosseto) on 24 October 1952 and entered the Air Force Academy in 1971 as part of the ‘Marte III’ intake. In 1975, he obtained his military pilot’s licence and, in March 1977, having completed the Advanced Basic Jet Flight School, he was posted to the 9th Group of the 4th Wing in Grosseto. With the rank of Captain, he assumed command of the 96th Squadron of the 9th Group; he then attended the 44th Regular Course at the Air Warfare School in Florence in 1980–81 and was subsequently posted to the 20th Group of the 4th Wing,where he remained until 1989, holding various posts including that of Commander of the 20th Flight Group and Head of the Operations Office. Having attended the Advanced Course at the Air War College in Florence in 1989–90, in August 1990 he was posted to the NATO base in Vicenza, where he served as Flight Aide to the Commander of the 5th ATAF.In August 1991, he was transferred to the Office of the Inspector for Flight Safety, where, in 1992, he was appointed Head of the 1st ‘Prevention’ Office. In August 1995, he was appointed Commander of the 53rd Wing at Cameri, where he remained until September 1997. In September 1997, he took up the post of Head of the 2nd ‘Investigation’ Office of the Flight Safety Inspectorate. On 10 September 1998, he assumed the post of Commander of the 46th Air Brigade, based at Pisa Military Airport. With effect from 1 January 1999, he was promoted to Air Brigadier. In April 2000, he was transferred to the General Command of the Military Academies in Guidonia (Rome) to take up the post of Chief of Staff of that General Command on 2 May, a position he held until 21 September 2004. On 22 September 2004, he was transferred to the Flight Safety Inspectorate to take up the post of Inspector, a role he held until 18 July 2007. On 26 July 2007, he was transferred to the Experimental Flight Centre (CSV) at Pratica di Mare (Rome) to take up the post of Commander. He has logged over 4,500 flying hours and is qualified to fly the following aircraft: MB-326, MB-339, G.91/T, F-104G/S/ASA, Tornado F3, G-222, C-130, P-180 and NH-500. He holds a degree in Aeronautical Sciences from the ’Federico II‘ University of Naples and has been awarded the following honours: Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the Mauritian Medal, the Gold Cross (40 years) for length of service,Gold Medal for Long-Term Air Service, Bronze Military Medal for Long-Term Command, NATO Medal for operations in the former Yugoslavia, NATO Medal for operations in Kosovo, and Commemorative Cross for the military peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
