The handover ceremony for the leadership of the Air Force took place at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. Joint Intendance Administrative Center – Kuwait (CAI-I) between Colonel Ugo Cieri and his peer Sabrina Rispoli.
The ceremony, presided over by the commander of the Italian National Contingent Command Air/Task Force Air Kuwait (IT NCC Air/TFA K), Colonel Matteo Zuliani, took place in the presence of several guests and a large representation of the Italian contingent.
In his farewell speech, Colonel Cieri expressed heartfelt thanks to all the CAI-I personnel for having made available their best energies and the best conceptual elaboration in their daily work. “Teamwork,” he said, “is always the best strategy to achieve ambitious results and we, thanks to your constant commitment and spirit of sacrifice, have proudly achieved several. I have had the privilege of working with highly motivated and competent staff, extraordinary on a human level. I will keep this human and professional experience among my fondest memories.”.
The change in the direction of CAI-I was sealed with the passing of the pennant from the hands of the outgoing director to those of the incoming one.
Colonel Rispoli, in his inaugural speech, thanked the superior authorities for the trust placed in him in the awarding of the prestigious assignment and expressed all his enthusiasm in undertaking this new, challenging experience. Aware of inheriting a valid team of qualified and passionate professionals, he expressed his intention to continue in the path already traced by his predecessors, with the utmost commitment, for the timely achievement of operational objectives, always a priority, in full compliance with the regulatory provisions.
Colonel Zuliani, in his speech, with words of sincere appreciation thanked Colonel Cieri for the work done at the helm of the CAI-I which, despite representing a numerically small reality, still manages to express fundamental support, not only for the IT NCC Air but for all the national contingents present in the relevant operational theaters. The commander of the IT NCC Air then concluded his speech, wishing Colonel Rispoli good work, highlighting how her appointment marks, in fact, a natural evolution in the management context of the Armed Forces, since, as is known, she is the first woman to assume the direction of an inter-force administrative center.
The Joint Intendance Administrative Center
The CAI-I Kuwait, under the control of the IT NCC Air, constitutes a unique joint operational unit: a highly specialized administrative center, which guarantees administrative and accounting support to the Italian contingents involved in the operation. First Parthica / Ineherent Resolve and in other area operations, located in Kuwait, Iraq and Bahrain, Jordan with branches also in London and the United States.
The Italian National Contingent Command Air/Task Force Air Kuwait was established on 17 October 2014 and placed under the control – for national aspects – of the Joint Operations Command. It participates in the operation First Parthica / Ineherent Resolve within the international anti-ISIS coalition, ensuring unity of command for the synergic and coordinated use of the assets supplied, deployed in Kuwait and Iraq and engaged in ISR, AAR, Airlift, EW, Medevac, PED activities and logistical and administrative support.
