The initiative was coordinated by the Military Ordinariate for Italy and by the Prefecture of the Papal Household so that the military personnel who worked in the "Safe Roads" operation near Lampedusa would be offered the opportunity to meet Pope Francis in person . The Supreme Pontiff, during his last visit to the Sicilian island, had expressed his intention to thank, in a dedicated moment, the men and women of the EI and the AOS who had provided their support for the tragic operations of recovery of the bodies of immigrants involved in the shipwreck on 3 October.
For the occasion, the military representation intervened - accompanied by Captain Leandro Giordano, Commander of the Company "Strade Sicure / Lampedusa" (EI) and by Lieutenant Raffaele Capece, Commander of the 134th Remote Radar Squadron and of the Aeronautical Detachment (AM) - had the opportunity to deliver a souvenir object to the Holy Father as evidence of the involvement matured for the humanitarian aid carried out.
The “Strade Sicure” operation, which began on 4 August 2008 and is currently still in progress, provides an important implementation of public order and territorial control activities for some Italian provinces most at risk. The Joint Forces Operations Command
(COI) plans and coordinates the joint operation with the Operational Commands of each armed force involved which, in turn, dialogues
respectively with the employees involved in the Departments in order to provide suitable personnel trained to perform delicate tasks related to the Police Forces.
An inter-force contingent has been deployed on the island of Lampedusa since 2011, which now employs 90 units (62 of the IE and 28 of the AOS) which ensures the surveillance of the First Aid and Reception Center (CPSA ) and migrant boats.
The 134th Remote Radar Squadron, inserted in the National Air Defense system, has the task of maintaining the assigned system in efficiency, without interruption, and of ensuring the surveillance of the airspace of competence. The Aeronautical Detachment ensures logistical and administrative support to the 134th Remote Radar Squadron and to the other military entities located on the island; in this context, it provides assistance to military aircraft in transit at the civilian airport of Lampedusa. In this period, it is also providing the necessary logistical support to all the components involved in the management of the humanitarian emergency taking place on the island.
Source: Air Squad Command - Rome - Cap. Giorgio Bartolozzi
