Lebanon: handover to the CSSBN command

(To UNIFIL)
23/05/18

It was held yesterday at the headquarters of the command of the Sector West of the UNIFIL mission, in the UNP 2-3 base in Shama, the handover ceremony to the command of the Italian Army logistic unit present in Lebanon between the "Folgore" logistic regiment and the "Julia" logistic regiment. In the presence of General Paolo Fabbri, commander of the Sector West of UNIFIL and of the Alpine Brigade "Julia" - Multinational Land Force, Colonel Salvatore Pisciotta has handed over the command to Colonel Michele Losavio.

Il Combat Service Support Battalion, based on the "Folgore" logistic regiment, from November 2017 to today has guaranteed logistical support for all Italian military departments present in Lebanon and has also carried out all logistical activities also for all foreign military contingents present in the Sector West by UNIFIL. In particular, in the last six months the paratroopers have traveled more than 200.000 km along the main Lebanese road communication routes to ensure the transport of personnel, vehicles and materials in and out of Italy and the logistical activities of supplying food, water and fuel in favor of all the main Italian bases present in the southern part of Lebanon. The maintenance component, with more than 15.000 working hours produced, also provided for the repair and maintenance of all Italian military vehicles used in operation.

Thanks to the activities of medical care, which made it possible to treat more than 1.400 Lebanese civilians, the CSSBN has contributed considerably to increasing the positive perception and trust in the Italian blue helmets present in Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.

During the ceremony, Colonel Pisciotta, after thanking his men and women, the local authorities and the Lebanese civilian population, underlined the importance of logistical support, recalling the sacrifice of the Italian drivers who during the Battle of the Altipiani in May 1916, they managed to transfer thousands of soldiers from the Isonzo front to that of the Altipiani in a very short time, ensuring the success of the Italian maneuver. The “Julia” logistic regiment of Merano is at the first participation in the UNIFIL mission since in 2014 it became employed by the alpine brigade “Julia”. In 2009, however, with the old name of 24th regiment "Dolomites" he had already taken part in the mission in Lebanon.

With the ceremony of the change in command of the Combat Service Support Battalion, the return to Italy of all the units of the "Folgore" Paratroopers Brigade and the deployment of all those of the "Julia" Multinational Land Force Brigade are completed.