Wednesday 18 December, at the Piazzale Bandiera dell'Institute of Aeronautical Military Sciences (ISMA) of Florence, the swearing-in ceremony of the 36 students attending the first year of the course took place Aeronautical Military School “G. Douhet”.
The event, chaired by the commander of the Air Force schools/3rd air region, Air Squad General Silvano Frigerio, was opened by the speech of the commander of the School Douhet, Colonel Mauro Nazzi.
In his speech, the commander and headmaster of the Air Force high school, after recalling the delicate tasks that the School carries out on a daily basis, invited the students to pursue their path within the Institute with energy and strength of mind, reminding them that "embracing the deepest meaning of the oath before the Flag means serving the community, subordinating one's personal interests to a sense of duty and loyalty to the Institutions and the Republic".
The solemn act of the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic then took place, pronounced in front of the Institute's flag, and sealed by the flyover of a formation of Eurofighters from the 4th wing of Grosseto.
Following, the moment of the Baptism of the Course which took the name Zenith and the motto “Excelsior Caelo Ignis Aeternus” (Higher than the sky, the eternal flame).
Godfather of the swearing course, Air Brigade General Edi Turco, Chief of Staff of the Schools Command of the Air Force/3rd Air Region. Subsequently, a greeting message from the Gold Medals for Military Valor Group of Italy was read.
The ceremony concluded with the speech of General Frigerio, who, addressing the students directly, gave them an affectionate welcome to the Armed Forces, which from today welcomes them and makes them formally participants in its long history, made up of great protagonists and incredible enterprises.
“Loyalty, Honor and Discipline” – continued General Frigerio – “these are the words contained in the formula of the Oath that you have taken, words that do not constitute a simple proclamation, but that represent in a clear and unequivocal way the values that each of you must inspire your daily work as young citizens with stars”.
For the Douhet School, however, today's ceremony has taken on an even more special value: when it was founded in 2006, the School decided to assign each course an evocative name of astronomical references, constellations, winds and mythological characters, following alphabetical order.
In its first 18 years of life, therefore, the Air Force high school has seen more than 600 students belonging to the courses take the oath Astro, Bora, Chronos, Dart, Hesperus, Fides, Ghibli, Iris, Lyra, Myth, Nadir, Omega, Perseus, Rigel, Sirius, Taurus, Ursa e Vega.
With the oath of the course Zenith, therefore, the first generation of courses to have shouted their “I swear” in front of the Institute Flag ends.
Starting next year, these names will follow one another in an unchanged sequence and will repeat themselves cyclically, from generation to generation.
La Aeronautical Military School “Giulio Douhet” – which depends on theInstitute of Aeronautical Military Sciences –currently hosts 94 students and is a secondary school that offers courses for the second three-year period in the classical and scientific fields, which is accessed by public competition. The humanistic and scientific education, provided for by the Educational Offer Plan in compliance with the ministerial programs planned for the final three-year period of the Classical and Scientific High School, is supported by multiple cultural, sports and educational activities.
The aim of the Institute is to promote a balanced growth of students, from a human, cultural, moral, physical and character point of view so that they have the necessary skills to face the challenges of tomorrow.
