With the delegates Vito Alò and Antonio Colombo of the CoCeR Marina we take stock of the situation on the Defense White Paper and on the Mare Sicuro operation that is about to be launched by the government; through them we listen to the point of view of the Navy personnel.
Antonio Colombo is a captain of the Navy frigate - Commander Colombo, due to the role he holds within the CoCeR, he cannot deal with operational issues, but we are interested in knowing his opinion on the "white paper" wanted by Minister Pinotti and his point of view on the results achieved.
The idea of the "white book" is not new, but it is still appreciable. But I am very worried about the lack of involvement with the main defense players, the military. The minister wanted to make everyone's opinions and opinions heard, even from non-profit civil associations, but he listened neither to the men nor to them. much more serious from the political point of view, the representations constituted by the Italian law precisely to give voice to the military.
Do you mean that you have not been heard?
Exact. No invitation, no request for opinion, although officially the CoCeR (Central Representative Councils, ed) of the three Armed Forces had asked him last January and I sincerely can not explain why.
Do you have any particular opinion to expose, useful for the purposes of the "white paper"?
Certainly. But first of all I have to say this story convinces me more and more that it is necessary for the military personnel to extend the trade union rights. In a case like this the government would have felt obliged to respect the institutional forms.
Vito Alò is a 2 ° chief (sergeant major) of the Navy - Given its position and its minor seniority of service, what would be the topics that interest the staff?
First of all I would like to understand if politics considers the central staff to the Defense project and how it intends to enhance it. This concept has been missing for many years. Now every activity is carried out thanks to the staff who are asked for all kinds of skills: from the operational to the organizational, even to carry out the cleaning, but without a real project of enhancement. This is bringing a generalized demotivation among the staff of all grades.
The country is not ready to improve military pay, do not you think?
But I am not asking for salary increases, but the use of economic means to increase recruitment in an adequate number, to give certainty of the payment of allowances for certain activities (flat-rate payments, overtime etc.), to provide for a greater professionalism with targeted updates necessary for the growing needs to support operational activities, such as digitalization of logistics and internal organization.
The Safe Sea operation will be yet another test for your armed force.
I don't think the Navy needs another test bench. The staff I represent has shown in every situation, especially in the last twenty years, the great professionalism and the ability to adapt to the different needs of employment. Of the secure operation Mare, as a delegate, I can only talk about the economic effects on personnel and the possibility that at the end our colleagues will be put in a position to recover the lost energy. The Government should guarantee the coverage of ancillary staff salaries, avoiding the difficulties and slowness occurred for the Mare Nostrum operation.
The other aspect - concludes the Colombo delegate - is instead connected to the decrease in recruitment.
Why do you talk about recruitment?
The problem is who replaces the staff who, after the activities, need rest periods and who the future Armed Forces will turn to for such activities. We are aging. Too many fifties, including myself, a few thirty, very few in their twenties.
Who will do the most tiring job in the coming years? - intervenes Vito Alò - Who can do daily jobs that require special physical strength and concentration? It is true that the lifestyle is much better than twenty years ago, but young people have excellent physical strength, motivation and adaptability. The services of the barracks are now only in their forties ... so many fifty are still on board. It is a priority to resume recruitment; it is necessary to give young strength to the Navy. The government must facilitate the exits to increase the entrances while maintaining the objective of the 150.000 military 2024 fixed with the 244 Law of the 2012.
Does the white paper deal with this topic?
I do not think so, the white paper outlines a defense model different from the current one. The problem could be to harmonize the measures between them.
Meanwhile, however, a solution to these problems can be given by the government with the modification and balance of recruitments and leave with the instrument of reorganization of the military model that can be corrected by the end of the year. I speak - says Colombo - of the modification to the D.Lgs. 7 and 8 of 2014 which implemented the 244 / 12 Law.
We are instead worried about the professional model that currently outlines the white paper - states Alò - between the lines we read that the staff could always be recruited for a fixed term and I am not sure if our country is able to support it.
What do you ask the government for?
That involves and listens to the CoCeR illustrating the white paper and the perspectives it triggers. That it should always be kept in mind that at the center of the new model there must be men and women in uniform and the defense service that the FFAA must ensure to the country.
Andrea Cucco
