It took place in recent days, in the presence of the commander of the Officers' School of the Army, Colonel Fabrizio Barone, the ceremony of handing over the sword to the marshal students of the XXVI "Fermezza" course.
The chosen head of the regiment pronounced the traditional formula that establishes the twinning between the courses by handing over the sword to the representative of the Hatlet course shouting "Good luck!".
The commander of the student regiment, Colonel Antonello Andreottola, in his introductory speech encouraged the attendees of the XXVI course to “firmly stoke that spark, similar to an Olympic torch, to keep alive the shining flames, symbol of the extraordinary family of Non-Commissioned Officers of the Italian Army”. Then addressing the seniors of the XXV course he reminded them of their duty to represent even more that illuminating beacon towards which the young twins will turn in times of difficulty.
The commander of the Officers' School of the Army closed the ceremony by underlining the symbolic meaning of the presentation of the sword, a moment which, ideally, also brings the first year students into the ranks of those who have the responsibility of safeguarding the traditions of the School and the everlasting memory of the fallen.
The motto "Ut Ardeant Ardeo", shouted with pride by the entire student regiment, finally sealed the unity and respect between the two courses. The event ended with the solemn free exit from the Institute's honor gate.
Today's ceremony decrees the twinning between the student marshal courses, a passing of the baton between the elderly and the big hats, which ideally represents the transfer of the values and traditions that animate the young visitors of the Officers' School Army.
