On ANSA news on Monday 22nd March, the Italian Air Force's response to the ‘Casadiritto’ Association.’
(ANSA) - ROME, 22 MAR
NO MILITARY CEREMONIES FOR THOSE WHO OCCUPY HOUSES WITHOUT TITLE‘
AERONAUTICA, STRIDE WITH OUR VALUES. CASADIRITTO, REMOVE NORM
A provision issued by the Air Force General Staff stipulates that personnel on leave who occupy service accommodation without being entitled to do so, and who do not fall within the scope of the ”protections provided for vulnerable groups”, a ”gradual withdrawal from Armed Forces activities”, including ”events and/or ceremonies taking place on military premises or for which an invitation is otherwise required”. Their presence, in fact, ”rather than representing the heritage of values, dedication and integrity to be safeguarded and preserved for future generations, would constitute a corrosive example of the guiding principles of the Air Force”. An iron fist is also being applied to serving personnel who, finding themselves in the same circumstances, ”undermine the functioning of the Armed Forces and the rights of their colleagues most in need”: their behaviour ”must be condemned as negative examples and taken into account in disciplinary and performance assessments”.The provision in question, contained in a circular published on the Air Force’s website, has been condemned by the Casadiritto association, which is calling for its removal. The Air Force General Staff responds that the aim is to prevent those who are ”circumventing regulations and causing tangible harm to serving colleagues and the Armed Forces” from being ”invited to the events in question or being accorded an aura of gratitude and exemplarity”. Casadiritto emphasises that the General Staff’s directive ’provides for the exclusion of retired military personnel from ceremonies and their non-invitation to events, and for measures to be taken against serving military personnel, all of whom are guilty of setting a corrosive example in relation to the guiding principles of the Air Force‘. However, the citizens included on this ’blacklist”, as the association calls it, ”fully comply with the laws and annual decrees” governing the matter, paying the prescribed fee or a fee increased by 50%. ”We are already receiving numerous indignant comments,” says Casadiritto, ”from many members of associations who are wondering whether they will still be called upon, with their wreaths and flags, to attend the ceremonies. Or whether they will be able to bring their children and grandchildren to the events and relive their memories.” ”For their sake too,” the association calls for ”the urgent removal of those provisions, which are so unusual, unjustified and harmful”. The Air Force General Staff replies, however, that ”service accommodation is a vital resource for the Armed Forces in ensuring the proper turnover of serving personnel”. There are few state-owned properties available, and this shortage ”is further exacerbated by the failure of some military personnel to vacate various housing units; although they have ceased active service, they continue to occupy the accommodation”. It is often, it is emphasised, a case of ”retired senior officers who own their own homes but do not vacate the accommodation they were provided with for the posts they held”. These individuals ”are bound by obligations to vacate the premises, as clearly set out by law”: obligations which remain in force despite the temporary suspension of the enforced recovery of accommodation.Having clarified this, the Air Force emphasises that “to present, as a guest at military ceremonies or at places of personal service, someone who – whilst on active duty and of more modest means – are shouldering the financial and family consequences of commuting and renting, is at odds with the core values of the Air Force and with the fundamental ethics that the Armed Forces seek to uphold, for it is precisely these that personnel look to when called upon to operate in distant locations and difficult situations”.
SV
22-MAR-10 19:56 NNNN
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE SENT TO ANSA
Service accommodation is a vital resource for the Armed Forces in ensuring the proper rotation of serving personnel, specifically within the various units of the Air Force. This need is addressed by the “Housing Policy” within the framework of the Italian Air Force’s Personnel Policies. The well-known shortage of available state-owned properties is further exacerbated by the failure of some military personnel to vacate various accommodation units; despite having left active service in the Armed Forces, they continue to occupy the accommodation, thereby depriving the institution of the property it needs. In this context, “those not entitled to accommodation who do not fall within the protection measures provided for vulnerable groups…”, often retired senior officers who own their own homes but do not vacate the accommodation provided for the posts they held, constitute a very significant part of the problem. These individuals are bound by obligations to vacate the accommodation, as clearly set out in Law 497/78, Articles 18 et seq. of Ministerial Decree 88/2004, and Article 43 of Law 724/94, which states that ‘…without prejudice to the obligation to vacate…“ merely applies an increased rent. In this regard, Law 244/2007 specifies that, until the relevant Regulations come into force (which are due to be issued shortly), enforcement proceedings to recover the properties are temporarily suspended, but does not amend the provisions concerning the obligation to vacate service accommodation, nor, above all, the Armed Forces” need to reallocate such accommodation to serving personnel. In this context, appearing as a guest at military ceremonies or at personnel service locations is, at the very least, ethically reprehensible towards those on active duty and of more modest means who are shouldering the financial and family consequences of commuting, renting… clashes with the core values of the Royal Air Force, and with the fundamental ethics that the Armed Forces seek to uphold, for it is precisely these that personnel look to when called upon to operate in distant locations and difficult situations. This does not prevent any citizen from attending military ceremonies open to the public, but the aim is to ensure that those who are circumventing regulations and causing tangible harm to their serving colleagues and to the Armed Forces are not invited, nor is an aura of gratitude and exemplarity bestowed upon them.
