On Wednesday 27 March, at the operational base of Poggio Renatico (FE), the turnover ceremony in command of the general services support department (RSSG) took place between col. Fabio Martin, outgoing commander and t.col. Roberto Ruaro, incoming commander.
In the presence of the commander of aerospace operations command (COA), air team general Claudio Gabellini, the ceremony saw its most significant moments in the reading of the handover formula pronounced by the outgoing commander, but above all in the speeches of the commanders.
The emotion was evident in the speech of Colonel Martin, who left the command of the department after only six months and at the same time his service in the Air Force to face a new chapter in his professional life in the civilian world. He thanked the staff of direct collaborators and all the military and civilian personnel employed by him, to whom he recognized extraordinary qualities and abilities, and underlined how during the months of command he felt constantly supported by all the staff.
Lieutenant Colonel Ruaro, who had already been commander of the RSSG logistics group until October 2023 and who has the demanding task of holding the command "in a vacant seat" until the arrival of the new commander, thanked the general Gabellini for the trust placed in him in view of the new role of commander and assured that he is ready for a challenge that he knows well to be very difficult, but which can be faced without fear, with the knowledge of being able to count on the support of serious and prepared collaborators. An essential objective will remain that of continuing to guarantee maximum support to the COA and to the NATO organizations and agencies present on the Poggio Renatico site, with particular attention to the thoughts and ideas of the men and women of the Department, who are and will remain the resource most important thing a commander has at his disposal.
The commander of the COA, air team general Claudio Gabellini, in his speech, first of all expressed sincere appreciation for the courage and intellectual honesty of Colonel Martin and underlined how the behavior of Lieutenant Colonel Ruaro represents "an example" for every soldier , as, called upon to provide his support in an unexpected moment, he did not hesitate to make himself available to the needs of the Armed Forces. An exhortation was therefore addressed to the women and men of the RSSG to continue to support the command action with the same enthusiasm and commitment as always, indeed if possible to improve themselves, in order to achieve all the objectives of the department .
The general services support department, placed under the aerospace operations command, ensures the fundamental technical, logistical and administrative support services to the bodies of the Poggio Renatico base, both national, such as the COA, and international, such as the DACCC (Deployable Air Command and Control Centre), the NCIA (NATO Communications and Information Agency), the EPRC (European Personnel Recovery Center) – necessary for their functioning and operation.
