At the military airport of Furbara, home of the 17th Incursori and the 1ª air brigade special operations (1st BAOS) the change of command between Colonel Andrea Esposito and Colonel Livio Albano took place on June 16 last.
The ceremony was presided over by Brigadier General Riccardo Rinaldi, commander of the 1st BAOS, in the presence of the highest military and civil authorities of Cerveteri, Ladispoli and Santa Marinella and a representative of the flock.
The event, which represents a significant moment in the life and activities of the ward, was organized in compliance with the measures in force to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.
Colonel Esposito, outgoing commander, after having addressed his greetings to the intervening authorities, underlined the brilliant results achieved and the numerous activities supported in the last two years, despite a context made particularly difficult by the pandemic emergency. During his speech, col. Esposito wanted to thank in particular the staff of the flock for the impeccable commitment and professionalism shown on every occasion, offering the Armed Force and the country an operational capacity of the highest order.
For Colonel Albano, however, it is a return to Furbara as commander, having personally experienced the reconstitution of the Air Force Special Forces in 2003. In his speech, col. Albano highlighted the importance of loyalty, a sense of duty and a spirit of body, values which he learned the profound meaning of precisely in the period of service to the 17th Incursori flock and on which he based and will continue to base his work. At the end of his speech, he wanted to thank Colonel Esposito for the results achieved and for the path that the flock will continue to follow.
General Rinaldi, commander of the 1st BAOS, on which the 17th Incursori flock depends, finally took the floor expressing his deep thanks to Colonel Esposito for the commitment and attachment to the unit over the two years of command. Then turning to the incoming commander, Colonel Albano, he expressed a warm "welcome back" with the awareness and the wish for a near future punctuated by a close and fruitful collaboration for increasingly ambitious goals and for the full achievement of the objectives set by the Force Army.
The 17th Incursori flock has the task of selecting, training and equipping future Special Forces operators (Incursori) and STOS operators (Special Operations Tactical Support), to respond to the current international context that requires the development of prevention and effective and timely intervention, even at a great distance, in Operations Outside National Borders (OFCN). The objective of the 17th Incursori flock is to make the Incursors acquire the ability to perform missions such as: Special Reconnaissance (Special Reconnaissance), Direct Action (Direct Action), Military Assistance (Military Assistance), Hostage Release Operations (HRO) and Counter Terrorism Operations (Hostage Liberation and Anti-Terrorism Operations), Strategic Reconnaissance (Strategic Reconnaissance). In addition to direct tactical support for Special Forces operations, STOS operators are also required to conduct operations Personal Recovery in semi permissive contexts.
