The event was presided over by the Minister of Defense and the Head of SMA. The introductory report was delivered by the Commander of the Schools of the A.M./3rd R.A., Air Force General Franco Girardi, who, after greeting the Authorities and the guests present, outlined the mission of the School of the Air Force and, outlining the results of the just concluded academic year, highlighted that over 7,000 students have passed through the schools, with 62 Officers of all ranks and 61 Marshals having obtained the short degree, while 90 Officers have completed their studies with the master’s degree and 26 Officers of the naval role have obtained the military pilot’s license in Lecce and in the United States.“
These are the numbers of which we can rightly be proud and which well highlight the skill and motivation, that is, the professionalism of the personnel of the Air Force School Command.”“, declared General Girardi, who, before concluding, addressing the young students of the Training Institutes, added:“
You are the raison d’être of the Schools Command; you represent the most precious investment of our Armed Forces. Creating an environment around you that is suitable and functional for your personal and professional growth is our mission as educators.”.
The traditional presentation was given by the President of the International Studies Center (Ce.S.I.), Prof. Andrea Margelletti, on the topic “The role of air power in international relations”, which aroused the audience’s keen interest.
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, in turn, after thanking the presenter for the
masterclass of geopolitics and having shown a short film about the 90th anniversary of the Armed Forces, addressing the young cadets, he said “[…]
We leave you an efficient Air Force, appreciated internationally, capable of responding to the demands of the government; the latest “test of fire” was in Libya. You must not keep that Air Force; for you, that Air Force must be the past. You must know it, honor it, respect it, you must be proud of that Air Force, of the traditions it renews in you and with you. You will not be asked to maintain the Air Force. You will be asked to innovate. It is thanks to continuous innovation, of ideas, of means and tools that the Air Force can honor its motto, written in the crest of our ancestors: Virtute Siderum Tenus’.
In his speech, the Minister of Defense stated: “[…]
Institutions are the result of a pact of freedom in which a people, the peoples, surrender parts of their sovereignty in exchange for guarantees and services because the Institutions are guarantors, not masters of our lives. Therefore, those who in the life of the Institutions are called upon to defend the collective good acquire through training that degree of humilitas that enables the Institutions to be precisely guarantors, not masters of the lives of citizens. Training is at the heart of the intervention of our Government, our Parliament, our State, and our Institutions because the very roots of civil coexistence and the ability to bring peace and development are the driving force of the course of our history.”.
During the ceremony, some awards were presented to those who distinguished themselves during the various instruction processes. In particular, the “Annual Award for Military Attitude in the Academies” was conferred, established by the Military Order of Italy in 1996 and intended for the cadets of all the Military Academies who distinguished themselves in military aptitude at the end of the 2nd year of the course. The award was presented to Andrea Legovini, of the “Orione V” academic course, who was the first to receive it. Furthermore, the ”Honor Awards” were presented to the female cadets during the three years of the regular course until they were appointed as Second Lieutenants; these were awarded to the aspiring cadets Salvatore Tuosto, Pietro De Lellis and Domenico Caputo, all belonging to the “Nibbio V” course. Subsequently, the “Douhet/Mitchell Award” was presented to Lieutenant Colonel Marco Mele, of the 70th Squadron of Latina, and to Major Matteo Bulloni, of the Airfield Command – Headquarters of the 1st Air Region of Milan, who produced the best thesis of the 3rd Advanced Command Training course at the Institute of Military Sciences in Florence, and finally, the “Honor Medal” to Marshal Francesca Ulisse, 1st place in the 13th normal course of Marshals “Phoenix” at the Marshals’ School in Viterbo. Tgr Campania of 14/11/2013 at 19.30 Canale21 of 14/11/2013 at 23.00
CSMA intervention at the 2013/2014 A.A. opening ceremony: Institutes of Training of the AM. Statement by the Minister of Defense at the inauguration of the 2013/2014 A.A. Training Institutes of the AM. Prolusion Prof. Margelletti at the 2013/2014 A.A. Inauguration: Institutes of Training of the AM.
