On Tuesday 3 September, at the military airport "Luigi Rovelli" of Amendola, the ceremony of alternation in command of the 32nd Wing between Colonel Davide Marzinotto and the incoming commander, Colonel Stefano Castelnuovo. The event, chaired by the Air Division General Silvano Frigerio, commander of the Combat Forces, saw the participation of the highest civil, religious and military authorities.
The handover took place before the War Flag of the 32 ° Wing, decorated with a Silver Medal of Military Valor and the Banner of the City of Foggia, decorated with a Gold Medal for Military Valor and a Gold Medal at Valor Civile, in agreement with the pronunciation of the ritual formula for the assumption of the prestigious assignment.
In his farewell speech, Colonel Marzinotto, who will cover another prestigious position at the 4th Department of the Air Force General Staff, retraced the two years of energetic work and effort that, in particular, involved the department in new and intense operational, training and logistic activities. "I asked you to revitalize the meaning of being at the service of the Armed Force, as the intimate essence of being military, and to remember how the oath to the Fatherland, formulated by all of us, must be renewed with daily action" - the colonel said addressing directly to the men and women of the Wing present at the ceremony. "In full awareness of being an avant-garde Wing, in continuous expansion, and of representing a point of reference not only for the Italian Air Force but for the whole defense panorama - he added - I know that you will be able to renew the efforts made so far and that the expectations placed in the Department will never be disappointed ".
Colonel Castelnuovo expressed his deep gratitude to the Superior Authorities for the trust given in the assignment of the prestigious position, fully aware of the role and importance that the 32 ° Stormo assumes both nationally and internationally, "In a Flock that is synonymous with innovation we will never have to give up that idea of continuous transformation and improvement, armed above all with an introspective critical spirit" - the colonel underlined during his inauguration speech. "In a context of limited resources, the ideas, the men, the mentality and the teamwork often make the difference; we will act in active silence focusing on how best to use what we have available".
The commander of the Combat Forces concluded the interventions by underlining the goals achieved by the Department under the command of Colonel Marzinotto, recognizing the complexity and quality of the work carried out, especially in a period of profound transformation and operational growth. Instead, he confirmed his full confidence in Colonel Castelnuovo, aware that he will carry out the delicate task with the utmost commitment and foresight, relying on the generous and capable participation of the entire 32nd Wing.
Finally, General Frigerio thanked the families of the military personnel who, with their moral support, are close in their daily commitment and share the sacrifices and satisfactions of their loved ones.
The 32 ° Stormo, the first department in Europe to acquire F-35 aircraft, also carries out operational, training and technical activities of the Predator remotely piloted aircraft, in order to acquire and maintain the ability to carry out national and coalition ISTAR operations. Furthermore, it provides and completes, through MB-339 aircraft, the training of UAV pilots in order to ensure an adequate level of training on traditional piloted aircraft.
