On February 20th, the solemn award ceremony took place at the Sala De Bernardi of Pratica di Mare airport. Turreted eagles for four Air Force officers who successfully completed the rigorous training program at the Air Transport Training School (SATA).
Jurij, Francesca, Gabriele and Riccardo were celebrated for their commitment, dedication and skills demonstrated during the training course. The ceremony, presided over by Air Brigade General Edi Turco, Chief of Staff of the Schools Command of the AM/3^ ra, was attended by numerous representatives of military institutions, families and friends of the officers, as well as a representation of the secondary schools of 2nd level of the municipality of Pomezia.
In his opening speech, Colonel Pasquale Savino, Commander of SATA, thanked, in addition to those present, all those on the front line or behind the scenes who contributed to achieving this goal. Colonel Savino then addressed the newly qualified officers: “Military pilots, you are no longer students, from today you are professionals. Your teachers, your instructors, all of us, have accompanied you by the hand up to this point. Now it is your turn. Those who fly with you will look at you and judge you. Your commanders will judge you, your crew will judge you. And they will continue to judge you when you are the commanders. But do not let yourselves be intimidated. Always be your own strictest judges. Strict but honest. Only you will know if you have given your all. And there is nothing that matters more, even in the face of failure. If that happens, get up and pick up where you were when you fell. Earn the respect of those who will work with you, before, and for you, after. That turreted Eagle on your chest will always be there to remind you. You have a huge responsibility. You represent the Air Force, each of us is the Air Force. People will look at you and will have faith in you. Be able to live up to that trust every day of your life, with or without a uniform on. It’s a heavy burden, but I guarantee you’ll always be proud of it.”.
General Turco then took the floor and, addressing the SATA staff, spent profound words of praise for the School: “You have faced the daily challenges not only with the passion and competence that distinguish you, but also with the human and character qualities necessary and indispensable to serve as an example to the young officers in training, transmitting to them the fundamental values of our daily work”.
General Turco then addressed the families of the newly-qualified graduates, thanking them for having “played a crucial role in this journey, transmitting to these young officers the ethical principles that provided fertile ground for the development of their personalities and their best qualities”. Finally, the general addressed his thoughts to the protagonists of the day: “Dear brevet holders, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the profound meaning of the badges you wear on your chest and what they symbolize. These badges represent professionalism, responsibility, courage and altruism; they mean being ready to give your all to achieve the assigned goals and, if necessary, overcome your limits to get where others fear to fail. I therefore urge you to continue to persevere with the same determination and willpower that you have demonstrated so far, so that you can face with satisfaction the operational activities that await you in the service of our country”.
The new military pilots will now begin their journey in the operational departments, ready to contribute, with their skills and their spirit of service, to the defense and protection of our country.
