A representative of peacekeepers from the 37 nations of the UNIFIL mission (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) witnessed the handover between the two commanders on the TF ITALAIR flight line, in the presence of the Head of Mission and Force Commander, gen. d. Paolo Serra, and of the commander of TF ITALAIR col. Giacomo Lipari.
The military ceremony was held as part of the "Medal Parade" for the awarding of the UNIFIL medal to the staff of the 41 ° ITALAIR Task Group, in recognition of the excellent contribution made to the peace and stability of southern Lebanon during the six months of the mandate .
During the ceremony, General Serra, after recalling those who died in the 1997 in the fulfillment of a flight mission in the skies of Lebanon, expressed words of deep appreciation for the meritorious work carried out by the crews and personnel of support of the Task Force, committed with great professionalism within the delicate mandate contained in the 1701 resolution of the UN Security Council.
In the six months of the mission the personnel of the 41 ° Task Group Italair provided helicopter support to UNIFIL carrying out a wide spectrum of missions, guaranteeing a continuous emergency medical transport service (7 missions). Over the 480 flight hours and numerous reconnaissance and liaison missions were carried out during the mandate.
The ITALAIR Task Force is the interforce flight unit operating in Lebanon from the distant 1979 and employing AB-212 Army aviation helicopters, based on 2 Air Force Regiment "Sirio", and flight crews of the Italian Army , of the Navy and the Italian Air Force.
Source: UNIFIL MPIO - magg. Antonio Bernardo
