After a long stay for the total renovation and modernization, the navy school ship "Amerigo Vespucci" is ready to settle the seas, it will start from the port of La Spezia to the Americas, a route that was missing from the now far 2000.
The training mission that will start the 19 April was presented today at the port of Civitavecchia, right on the keep of the "most beautiful ship in the world", in the presence of the master of the ship, the captain of ship Angelo Patruno, the Chief of Staff of the Navy , Admiral of team Valter Girardelli and of the Chief of Staff of the Defense, General Claudio Graziano. The first to take the floor was the commander of Vespucci, who, without hiding the emotion, spoke about how honorable the task entrusted to him, being this role one of the dreams he had as a child, a dream that with dedication and patience managed to make it come true. "Representing the values and traditions of the Navy from a sense of responsibility that is unique to me, to the people, to the volunteers and to all the students of the first class", These are the words of the Commander Patruno, who is responsible for the difficult task of starting training for what will be, tomorrow, the ruling class of the Navy.
Training "unique and important", To quote the admiral Girardelli, which is carried out on the ship Vespucci is a fundamental gym for life at sea, as it allows you to finish the 6 months of navigation with a wealth of knowledge and unique experiences of its kind. But not only, because theAmerigo Vespucci, as the Navy Chief of Staff recalled, will return to the Americas, which owe its name to the Florentine explorer, to show: "Italian excellence on the oceans, bringing the authentic spirit of the Italians who are in the Navy". In reality, however, among the embarked in La Spezia there will also be official students of the other Italian armed forces, with only one aim: to increase the interoperability of the armed forces more and more. An issue on which the chief of staff of the Defense Graziano is very much concerned. Knowing how to face the challenges of the future in an interforce way will be very important for the future of national security and the seas, which is increasingly endangered by the continuous trafficking in the seas of the world and, for this, it is necessary, according to Girardelli, to guarantee the safety of the sea and its lawful use so that we can also guarantee the security of our national borders.
Training is therefore fundamental and the launch of the 2017 education campaign it must be a source of pride for all the armed forces, a long cruise that will pass to Canada for the celebrations of the 150 anniversary of the founding of the Canadian Confederation, then stopping in the United States, finally returning to Italy, but also passing through the Portugal and for Spain. Six months of very hard sailing for the crew of the Vespucci.
"However - stressed the chief of staff of the Defense Graziano - training is important for the future of every soldier", Because without the formation itself it would have been difficult to have a class of officers able to command in the operational missions scattered all over the globe. The ability to command is another characteristic that is acquired with training, because: "An officer must learn that there will be a moment in which we must take the courage to give an order", Graziano said, adding:"For this it is very important that in navigation there are also volunteers in fixed stance, which will allow the students to develop their charisma immediately and their ability to give orders by taking responsibility".
But the school ship Amerigo Vespucci it is not just sweat and fatigue, it is also much more. A part of the history of the Italian Navy, and consequently of the whole of Italy, which since 1931 has trained more than 10 thousand officers and continues to maintain its unique training and training capacity. "A story that should be defended and spread as much as possible", General Graziano wished, launching the wish, which is obligatory to join us, that the ship Amerigo Vespucci can always have the wind in the stern.
(photo: Marina Militare / Davide Bartoccini / Matteo Acciaccarelli)
