MEDIA AND ARMED FORCES: MEETING AT THE 36TH WING

On Friday 19 February in Gioia del Colle, a meeting was held with participants on the ‘Journalism in Crisis Zones’ course organised by the Puglia Journalists“ Association. The activities were divided into a theoretical and a practical component. The host was the commander of the 36th Wing, Colonel Gianpaolo Marchetto, who expressed his strong support for initiatives such as these, which bring media professionals into such close contact with the issues and working methods of the military. This is an opportunity to bring the public even closer to the institutions through greater and more effective communication by the Armed Forces. The course was attended by around 24 participants, including journalists and students on the Association’s master’s programme. The Eurofighter Typhoon, air defence and the activities of the 36th Wing were the subject of a presentation given by Major Donato Colacicco. Major Colacicco emphasised the importance of the media understanding the operational activities and the various professional roles within the Wing. ”Greater mutual understanding,“ said Major Colacicco, ’can improve collaboration with journalists, particularly in situations where time is of the essence and the verification of information becomes crucial.” The group of guests then moved to the Typhoon flight simulator facilities, where Pilot Major Salvatore Trincone explained the specific features of this aspect of the 36th Wing’s operations, followed by a demonstration conducted by Pilot Major Eros Zaniboni. At the end of the visit, following the Eurofighters” take-off, course certificates were presented at the base’s officers‘ club by Colonel Marchetto and the Order’s representative, the Apulian journalist Gaetano Campione. A unique event of its kind, which was met with great satisfaction, as expressed by the Order’s President, Dr Paola Laforgia: ’The Order of Journalists is very pleased with this extraordinary collaboration with the Armed Forces to mark the conclusion of a course that represents an opportunity for professional development and growth. ”Thanks to the commitment and insight of Dr Giovanna Ranaldo,“ emphasised the President, ‘who acted as a ’trait d’union“ between the Air Force, the Ministry of Defence and the Apulian Order – a highly qualifying professional course has taken shape, complemented by a media day organised in an extraordinarily short space of time“. ”The success of this Apulian initiative,“ explained Dr Ranaldo, ”is the result of ‘teamwork’ between the Air Force General Staff, the 36th Wing, which hosted us, and the Apulian Order of Journalists, supported by the Defence General Staff, which is increasingly open to communication and engagement with the public. This served as a starting point for improving mutual understanding and developing a greater awareness of operational theatres.” The occasion also provided a useful opportunity for some comments from the participants regarding Italy’s involvement in Operation ‘White Crane’ in Haiti and the ‘joint forces’ contribution of our Defence forces in support of the population. Further clarification was provided by Lieutenant Massimo Battista, Public Information Officer of the 16th Air Rifle Wing. In a conference room packed with media professionals, including those not enrolled on the course, topics relating to public information and the specific characteristics of the Armed Forces in international contexts were explored in depth, thanks to the contribution of Captain Erminio Englaro, Public Information Officer at the Air Force General Staff. Multimedia Contributions Video: Studio100 SATdel 23 February