On Thursday 9 October, the change of command ceremony took place at the Villafranca di Verona headquarters. 1st Air Force Pioneer Regiment between Colonel Maurizio Verde and the Colonel Giovanni Tota.
The handover was presided over by Head of the Infrastructure Service of the Logistic Command, Brigadier General Paolo Rizzetto.
At the event, which was held in the presence of the Mayor of Villafranca, Roberto Dall'Oca, of Director General of GENIODIFE, Inspector General Mario Sciandra, also attended, along with their respective Presidents of Non-Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and Other Ranks, the former Commanders of the 1st Engineer Department and the Commanders of the 3rd Wing and Wings, Departments, and Bodies falling under the jurisdiction of the 1st Engineer Department. Medals awarded by the Blue Ribbon Institute, the Banners of the Veterans' and Military Associations, and the Standard of the City of Villafranca (VR).
The Green Colonel, in his farewell speech, thanked the military and civilian authorities present, highlighting the achievements of his beloved Regiment, composed of men and women of extraordinary talent and uncommon sense of duty: “It has been an honour and a privilege to lead the 1st Engineer Department, a department of excellence in the field of design and construction of infrastructure dedicated to national defence.
With emotion, he then recounted the experience, from the complex and imposing work to ensure suitable logistical infrastructure for the transfer of the Air Squad Command from Rome to Milan within exceptionally tight deadlines, to supporting other state administrations, such as the Prefecture of Milan, without forgetting the certification Excellence achieved on the occasion of the NATO tactical evaluation of the capability “Military Engineering”offered by the Infrastructure Service of the Logistic Command within the framework of the NATO-Allied Reaction Force capability package, obtained with the collaboration of the three Engineer Departments under the leadership assigned to the 1st Engineer Department.
He addressed words of esteem to his successor, in the certainty of passing the baton to a colleague and dear friend of known capabilities, which have also been extensively demonstrated in his prestigious work experiences.
Col. Tota, in his first speech as Commander, offered a cordial greeting to everyone present for wanting to share “such a significant moment for the life of the Department and for the journey of an Officer” and thanked the Head of Infrastructure Services and the Director General of Geniodife for the trust and esteem received in entrusting him with the prestigious role.
He then outlined his vision for the future of the Department, tasked with operating in a “A complex and complicated mechanism, that of Defence infrastructure, in continuous technological evolution that requires adaptability and integration both nationally and internationally, in order to be ready to face the challenges coming from a global geopolitical context that has never been so uncertain.
Col. Tota concluded his speech by emphasising how, despite technology, “the most precious and irreplaceable resource remains people, both those we work with every day, who will be by my side on the journey ahead, and those who patiently wait at home and allow us, with their often invisible and silent support, to do what we do to the best of our ability.”.
Brigadier General Rizzetto then took the floor, addressing a respectful greeting to the military, civilian, and religious authorities present at the handover. “which marks the continuity of our commitment, our values, our traditions and our dedication to the Institutions like a metronome.”.
He thanked Colonel Verde, considering his exemplary command action not only from a professional but also from a human point of view., “always setting an example of extraordinary commitment, leading the Department in a balanced and authoritative manner to achieve the ambitious objectives entrusted to him.
Addressing Colonel Tota, knowing his capacity for listening, motivation and leadership of personnel, he underlined the formidable challenges that await him in the near future at the helm of the 1st Engineer Regiment, including the implementation of “The ”Blue Airports Programme," which will support the indispensable and irreversible modernisation and adaptation of the entire Air Force's infrastructure, and the digitisation of work processes and information flows of the Infrastructure Service, including the definitive adoption of Building Information Modelling.
Finally, General Rizzetto addressed the personnel of the Department, asking them to support Col. Tota with loyalty, cohesion, and pride: “Be, as always, a team, because the strength of the 1st Engineer Regiment, to which I assure the full support of the Infrastructure Service, lies not only in technical expertise but in the ability to work together in service of the Fatherland.
The 1st A.M. Engineer Corps is subordinate to the Infrastructure Service of the A.M. Logistic Command and, for certain aspects, also depends on the Ministry of Defence's Works Directorate. The Department takes care of studies, surveys, designs, tenders and execution of works necessary to ensure the functionality of operational infrastructures for the Air Force both in the area of competence (Northern Italy) and outside the national borders. Works are carried out by contract to external companies or in direct administration; in the latter case with the military and civil personnel of the 27th Field Engineer Group. The Department also ensures the second level maintenance of the Generating Sets on and off-site and the training and instruction of technical personnel. In addition to the above-mentioned Gruppo Genio Campale, the 1st Corps of Engineers' Technical Services Departments (SS.TT.DD.II.) in Cameri (101st), Ghedi (102nd), Istrana (108th) and Poggio Renatico (113th), as well as the respective Off-site Works Sections in Parma, Piacenza, Aviano and Cervia, depend on the 1st Corps of Engineers.
