The solemn oath, sealed by the traditional passage of the Frecce Tricolori, took place in the presence of the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Hon. Giorgio Mulè
Today, Wednesday 13 April, the Swearing and Baptism Ceremony of the students of the 1st class of the Institute's Regular Courses, the Centauro VI Course, took place at the Air Force Academy of Pozzuoli.
80 young students, coming from all regions of Italy and selected from over 6500 applications for admission, have sworn allegiance to the Italian Republic and its institutions and have formally committed themselves to honoring the ideals of loyalty, courage and sense of duty, principles founders of the Armed Force.
The ceremony took place in the presence of the Undersecretary of Defense, Hon. Giorgio Mulè, of the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, and of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squad General Luca Goretti. Several military and civil authorities present, including the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Sen. Stefania Pucciarelli, the Presidents of the two permanent Defense Committees of the Senate (Sen. Roberta Pinotti) and of the Chamber of Deputies (Hon. Gianluca Rizzo).
The Commander of the Air Force Academy, General of the Air Brigade Paolo Tarantino, after thanking the authorities and the guests who attended, addressed the protagonists of this day: "Students of the First Course, you will swear loyalty to the Fatherland, in a historical moment that reaffirms the fundamental role of Democratic Institutions and which provides everyone with an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of being military, being at the service of the community and being in defense of its free institutions ”. Before reading the oath formula, he concluded: “Shout out your pride and your commitment; it will be for all of us a hope for the future and an encouragement to think that this country can continue to produce a clean youth animated by precise and unshakable values capable of ensuring a future of Peace and prosperity for this World, today more than ever. complex and uncertain ".
Following the Oath, the baptism of the Corso took place, when the pennant, through an ideal handover between the godparents of the generations of the previous Centauro Courses, was entrusted to the Capo Corso of the Centaur VI. The pupils of Centaur VI thus received, symbolically, the official welcome in the ranks of the Air Force from their godparents. The two moments of the Oath and the Baptism of the course were crowned by the flyby of the National Aerobatic Team, which spread the traditional flag in the sky.
"With your Oath and Baptism, the Air Force welcomes you into its ranks and into its history, made of passion, righteousness, courage and generosity", declared the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squad General Luca Goretti, addressing the sworn students. “It will be a fascinating, exciting, fantastic adventure but not without difficult moments and uncertainties. You will also be called to operate in the emerging aerospace and cyber domains to carry out the mission of the Armed Force on a daily basis and with excellence: to guarantee defense and security, freedom and well-being, where and when necessary. Be correct, active officers, respectful of the principles of common living and proud to be part of an organization that with almost 100 years of history, is today a modern air force that faces the present compactly, with intense team spirit and sacrifice, and that looks to tomorrow imagining how to ride the change that awaits us instead of undergoing it ".
The Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, then took the floor, addressing the students of the course, and said: "To you, Pupils and Pupils, the Armed Force makes available the best resources to provide you with the necessary tools to try your hand at the operating environment that will see you as protagonists for the rest of your professional life; aerospace is an absolutely vital dimension for our country, but also very difficult and insidious. From your ranks - concluded the Head of SMD - will come the Commanders, the leaders who, in synergy with the colleagues of the other Armed Forces, the other Departments, the Security Agencies and the other Sections of the State, will support the unified action of the country system ".
“The Aeronautical Academy forms Italy's elite who recognize themselves in the values expressed by our Constitution. A certainty for the country, especially at a time when we are claiming these values in the field, in international theaters where we are called to intervene with our professionalism ", declared the Undersecretary of Defense, the Hon. Giorgio Mule ', in the speech of him. Then addressing the students: "You are called to climb the highest step of the Altar of the Fatherland, to honor the duty to defend Italy and be faithful to the Republic: your profession, unlike all the others, is the only one which requires the ultimate sacrifice. This is the meaning of the lay vocation to serve the homeland, taking a vow of obedience, fidelity, loyalty that belongs to those who decide to wear the stars ".
On the occasion, as usual, the "Day in honor of the Gold Medals of Military Valor of Italy" was also celebrated, during which the General of the Army Corps of the Carabinieri Rosario Aiosa, decorated with Gold Medal for Military Valor, he wanted to send a message of good wishes to the young students who have just taken on their solemn commitment.
Some information on the Centauro VI Course:
The course is made up of 86 attendees - 60 men and 26 women - and specifically: 42 Pilots, 12 from the Weapons Role, 16 from the Corps of Aeronautical Engineers, 8 from the Commissariat Corps and 8 from the Aeronautical Health Corps. In their academic career, the young cadets are joined by 6 foreign students belonging to the Centauro VI Course, coming from 3 different nations (Libya, Niger and Tunisia), on the basis of the international cooperation agreements in place formalized by the Italian Air Force in the field of training. As per tradition restored with the sixth generation that sees a color being attributed to each corso, the Centaur VI will have malachite green as its identifier.
To watch the video of the ceremony: