Wednesday 26 February 2020, at the 16 ° Stormo "Protection of the Forces" in Martina Franca (TA), the Delivery of the Basque to the soldiers who successfully concluded the attendance of the "Air Riflemen" course.
At the solemn event, chaired by the Air Brigade General Achille Cazzaniga, commander of the Support and Special Forces, on which the Stormo depends, Mr. Prefect of Taranto, dr. Demetrio Martino, the local civil, military and religious authorities, together with the family members of the students.
The Hymn of Mameli, intoned by all present, suggestively accompanied the entrance of the Flag of the War of the Flock. The event culminated in the blessing and the delivery of the "blue berets" to the newly qualified by the Air Riflemen Instructors of the Training Group Survive To Operate / Force Protection of the 16th Wing.
Colonel Antonio Pellegrino, commander of the 16th Squadron, after a brief nod of greeting thanked the authorities and the guests and, addressing the new air riflemen: "after showing your skills, overcoming obstacles and difficulties in six long months of intense commitment, you will have to live up to the tests that await you and an integral part of this team that, on the ground and in flight, operates every day and in every place. " The Commander then underlined how, even at this time, the Air Riflemen, indispensable operational capacity for the protection of the Air Force in Italy and abroad, demonstrate, in silence and with professionalism, to be an active part of a country system serving the community.
General Cazzaniga then took the floor and expressed his pride in being part of one "Armed Force made up of professionals who offer their training to guarantee the defense of our skies and the maintenance of peace, both at home and abroad." The general then focused on training and training highlighting how "the transmission of 'knowledge' is not an exercise in demonstrating one's own abilities, but is giving to the other so that everyone can work better and more effectively, in a society where ethics is acting with conscience and scruple in our everyday work for the common good. "
Il Song of the Air Rifleman, intoned by the deployed department, solemnly concluded an exciting and significant moment for the Stormo.
Since the establishment of the 16th Wing in 2004, every year officers, non-commissioned officers, graduates and military personnel of the Air Force have the opportunity to become Air Riflemen by attending the qualification course. To access the course it is necessary to pass an accurate psycho-physical selection, to verify the requirements foreseen by the training process and by the intense and selective operational activities.
For about six months, the aspiring Riflemen attend land combat lessons, use of weapons, topography and personal defense, learn helicopter descent techniques, those of anti-sabotage and airport counter-terrorism, notions of flight and protection of aircraft, premise of other professional specialties of their own. of the aerospace component.
A long and selective training process, aimed at ascertaining the spirit of adaptability, balance, readiness, as well as the ability of the visitors to operate in different scenarios for prolonged times, is supervised by the instructors of the Training Group Survive To Operate / Force Protection of the 16th Wing, national Armed Forces training center for the Earth Defense specialty.
The aspirants who receive the "blue beret" join the ranks of the Air Rifle Battalion of the 16 ° Stormo "Protection of the Forces" of Martina Franca or the Air Rifle Group of the 9 ° Stormo of Grazzanise (CE). Specialized units for the security of the aerospace forces, ready to be deployed wherever the "country" requires it.
