The event took place at the Air Force Academy in the presence of the Undersecretary of State for Defense, the Honorable Matteo Perego of Cremnago
It took place this morning in Pozzuoli, at the Air Force Academy, in the presence of the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Hon. Matteo Perego of Cremnago, the traditional inauguration ceremony of the 2023-2024 Academic Year of the Air Force Training Institutes.
The event, which was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squad General Luca Goretti and numerous civil and military authorities, opened with a speech by the Commander of the Schools and the 3rd Air Region, General of the Air Force Silvano Frigerio, which after a brief introduction on the main activities completed in the last Academic Year, wanted to highlight the most significant future projects and objectives in the field of training and selection.
An academic year that opens on the basis of activities recently concluded in the previous one with a significant balance sheet. In the 2022/23 academic year, a total of 7614 visitors passed through the training institutes and schools of the Air Force, of which 147 were foreign students. In particular, 161 Officers and Marshals obtained a 1st level degree, while 88 Officers completed their studies with a master's degree. 58 Officers, of which 14 foreigners, have obtained the military pilot's license at flight schools in Italy and abroad, while 84 attending students - of which 18 from other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps and 13 foreigners - have obtained the airplane pilot's license; 3 Officer Cadets obtained the airplane navigator license; 15 students attending other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps obtained the military helicopter pilot license, while 8 helicopter pilot licenses were issued to Fire Brigade and State Police personnel. Finally, 91 Captains obtained the 2nd level Master's degree in Leadership and Strategic Analysis and 35 students graduated from the Air Force Military School "Giulio Douhet”. Following this, as per tradition, a series of prizes were awarded to students and attendees who distinguished themselves in the last academic year.
General Goretti then took the floor and wanted to underline how "these new generations, who constitute the new lifeblood of the Armed Forces, will have to deal with increasingly uncertain and complex geopolitical scenarios, which will determine new operational areas, new frontiers to defend, which go beyond the traditional ones constituted by the land, naval and aerospace dimensions to expand towards the space sector, as a natural continuation of the aeronautical environment, in addition to the cybernetic and cognitive ones“. Addressing the young attendees directly, he then added: “always be aware of your skills and knowledge, which at the end of the courses you are about to start will certainly be richer, more integrated and expanded with multiple aeronautical references. Be curious and ready to analyze the events of the past with a critical spirit and open-mindedness to understand and effectively deal with the changes that arise. Share your experiences with those who can give you advice and qualified support, always referring to those who preceded you. Always be hungry for culture, because as our President of the Republic says, it is an engine of growth, a push towards openness, a multiplier of civil energy. It is an opportunity for discussion, respect for other people's diversity, and a search for innovation”. At the end of his speech, the Chief of Staff declared the 2023/2024 Academic Year of the Air Force Training Institutes open.
Followed by the Commander of the Air Force Academy, General of the Air Division Luigi Casali, introduced the speeches of Brigadier General of the Air Force Medical Corps Emanuele Garzia and Capt. Giovanni Marfia, respectively Director and Medical Officer of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine of Milan, who held speeches on the topic of technological and methodological evolution in Aeronautical and Space Medicine, with a focus on the CeMATA project (Aerospace Medicine Center for Advanced Therapies ).
The ceremony concluded with the speech of the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Hon. Matteo Perego of Cremnago, who particularly underlined how relevant they are “the numbers of activities completed in the previous academic year, the year of the Centenary of the Air Force. I was struck, in particular, by the number of personnel from the armed forces of other countries: more than 700 foreign students from 36 countries have trained at the Air Force Academy from 1928 to today. This form of cooperation has a very high value, which goes beyond the training aspect and allows the development of mutual knowledge between different cultures, favoring the creation and consolidation of important interpersonal relationships that characterize the Italian approach in international missions. We are in a very delicate historical moment - added the Undersecretary - in the midst of devastating wars that are making the international geopolitical scenario increasingly difficult, delicate and vulnerable, and to see that many young people want to undertake a military career and are applying to join the Air Force, it gives me sincere optimism about the future of our country. The near future will see the Air Force capitalize on its specificity also in the space domain to continue the growth of capacity as an indispensable component of the national military instrument and as a research engine in the technological and scientific innovation of the country. It is therefore important to continue to invest in leadership and interact with the national industry also in training, as occurred in the case of advanced flight training using the T-346A aircraft for the preparation of future pilots of 4th and 5th level aircraft. generation".