An important training activity saw the collaboration of UN WFP personnel and the 17th Raiders Wing of the Italian Air Force. The WFP (World Food Programme) is the largest humanitarian organisation in the world, fighting daily against world hunger, and the volunteer staff who work there are frequently involved in transporting essential goods and aid to the most crisis-stricken areas globally. The training activity took place at Furbara airport, with the creation of various scenarios, with the aim of preparing the participating personnel to face stressful situations, with high psycho-physical discomfort, which can occur in hostile territory.
During the training sessions, in particular, illegal checkpoints and guerrilla scenarios were simulated, in order to make the participating personnel understand the difficulties they might face in a crisis context. The 17th Wing, which has been training Air Force raiders for years, dedicates specific training also to aircrew, not only from the Armed Force, but also from other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps. The Wing's instructing personnel boast many years of experience in operational survival in all climatic and contingency conditions.
This was precisely one of the determining factors in the UN Agency's choice to carry out activities jointly with the personnel of the 17th Raider Wing, who, on this occasion, provided their capabilities suitably tailored to the training needs of WFP personnel. At the end of the activities, the WFP Senior Security Officer, Jess Torp, declared herself enthusiastic about the activity carried out, thanking the Italian Air Force for the hospitality received and Colonel Riccardo Rinaldi, Commander of the 17th Raider Wing, for the support and professionalism provided, hoping for future collaborations aimed at confirming the convergence between UN operational needs and the humanitarian values that drive the Armed Forces personnel.
