In the presence of General of S.A. Silvano Frigerio, the ceremony of succession between Colonel Claudio Castellano and Colonel Alessandro Del Buono
The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday, September 26th. Command of the A.M. Volunteer School (SVAM) of Taranto between Colonel Claudio Castellano and the incoming Commander Colonel Alessandro Del Buono, coming from the Office of the Minister of Defense.
The event was presided over by General of the Air Force Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the A.M./3rd R.A. School Command. in the presence of the civil, religious and military authorities of the territory and the Combatant and Armed Associations of the city.
The ceremony, which coincided with the state funeral of the former President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, took place in accordance with the national day of mourning declared in his memory.
It Colonel Claudio Castellano, After greeting the parties, he addressed the assembled: “With deep emotion, I am about to hand over the command of the AM Volunteer School to you.
I have done my best to honor the commitment entrusted to me by focusing my command action on continuity but also on innovation in order to keep the School abreast of the times and to enhance every moment of the training path of the airmen. I thank all the staff of the School for always being a cohesive and effective team, constantly demonstrating a deep attachment to aeronautical traditions and the history of the Institute.
After the symbolic passing of the National Flag between the hands of the two Commanders, the following intervened: Colonel Alessandro Del Buono who, in his inaugural address, stated: “It is with pride and extreme pride that I am today taking up the position of Commander of the Volunteer School of the Italian Air Force” – he then continued – “Our task is not limited to the mere transmission of knowledge and professional skills, but also and above all, the transfer of those values that form the foundation of the 100 years of history of the Blue Army, values that are more than ever indispensable for building in our graduates a full awareness of their role in the military and civilian society” and finally he concluded by wishing all the staff a “in bocca al lupo” to face together the challenges and to seize the opportunities that the future will bring.
The event concluded with the speech by General Frigerio, After greeting the Authorities and the guests present, emphasizing the strong bond that unites the Air Force with the city of the two seas and its splendid territory, he addressed Col. Del Buono, “In the immediate future, there are important plans to be implemented for the School, with the aim of providing our volunteers with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to make a valuable contribution to the operational departments responsible for assigning students; I am sure that with your team you will do well, putting to good use all the expertise and professionalism that distinguish you.”.
Finally, he wanted to dedicate some words to the young students present, “I take this opportunity to invite you to a constant individual investment in training, aimed at taking advantage of the teachings received, of every opportunity offered and of the tools made available to you, because the true protagonists of training, the builders of your future – whatever that may be – are precisely you. Make your own that heritage of values, history and traditions that have always distinguished the men and women of the Air Force and that can be breathed in this School. You constitute the raison d’être of this School.
The SVAM It is the only national training and educational centre that provides basic military and moral training for troops destined to serve in the Air Force, as well as specific vocational instruction. The School reports to the Air Force Schools Command/3rd Air Region, one of the three top Commands of the Armed Force. This Command is tasked with ensuring the selection, recruitment, military, cultural and vocational training of Air Force personnel, and flight training (at an international level). It achieves this through the study and adoption of innovative teaching and training methodologies focused on the learner, and informed by innovation, creativity, optimisation of human and material resources, environmental sustainability, and constant engagement with institutions and the local area in service to the community.
