The handover ceremony for the commander general of the Carabinieri, which took place this morning at the “Salvo D'Acquisto” barracks in Tor di Quinto, saw the handover between the outgoing Army Corps General Teo Luzi and the incoming Army Corps General Salvatore Luongo.
The event was sealed by the presence of the Minister of Defense, Hon. Guido Crosetto, and the Chief of Defense Staff, General Luciano Portolano.
The ceremony was attended by civil, military and religious authorities, representatives of the National Association of Carabinieri and Forestry Corps on leave, of ONAOMAC and some exponents of APCSM
Gen. Ca Luzi, having reached the end of a “exciting military life started 46 years ago”, he stressed: “the Arma has allowed me to experience the magic of deep and authentic relationships with the Carabinieri, whom I admire for their mettle and professionalism. I consider them true everyday heroes”. Then addressing the soldiers: “do your duty and you will be rewarded with a thousand satisfactions, as it was for me".
Concluding: “My greatest thanks to the Carabinieri who pushed me every day to push my limits, to set new goals to face increasingly complex challenges”.
General of the Army Corps Teo Luzi leaves the command after having led the force since January 16, 2021. He began his military career in 1978, holding prestigious command positions for over 18 years, including that of commander of the Rome Center company and the provincial commands of Savona and Palermo and of the "Lombardy" Carabinieri legion.
From 6 September 2018 to 15 January 2021, he held the position of Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Carabinieri. From 1 January 2023, as part of the annual rotating Presidency of EuroGendFor, he assumed, on behalf of the Defence, the chairmanship Italian in the bosom of high-level inter-ministerial committee (CIMIN).
General Luongo, who spoke afterwards, recalled the figure of "a marshal, station commander, who, despite having difficulty putting together lunch and dinner for his family, did his best to host children in his accommodation to offer them a hot meal. He was a true guardian of order, a soldier with a straight back, but at the same time a man of extraordinary dignity, with an enormous attachment to his community and an innate sense of justice. That marshal brought together in himself, in his actions, all the values of the force, generosity, courage, empathy, the ability to be close to those most in need."
Subsequently, Gen. Ca Luongo stressed that “the force must continue to maximize the use of technology, both in a preventive and repressive function, also exploiting the real potential of artificial intelligence and improving the ability to govern cyberspace to combat crime”.
Then addressing the new generations in the ranks of the force: “Let's bet on our young carabinieri, let's encourage them to change, let's stimulate them to look for new paths so that every soldier feels fully involved in a virtuous progress of growth”.
Finally, concluding: “In the wake of the centuries-old history of the Arma and the teachings I have received from my teachers, I will always be alongside all the Carabinieri who serve the citizens with determination, diligence and constancy, because the Arma must continue to be a virtuous instrument for the construction of a more just society.".
The career of the new commander, Gen. ca Luongo, born in 1962, began in 1977 at the “Nunziatella” Military School. He has held prestigious roles in the Carabinieri, including provincial commander of Milan and Rome, military assistant and aide-de-camp for the Carabinieri of the President of the Republic and head of the legislative office of the Minister of Defense. Since December 2023, he has been the inter-regional commander of the Carabinieri “Podgora” and, since June 2024, he has been the deputy general commander of the Corps.
He received numerous commendations and honours, including that of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the Mauriziana Medal and, most recently, Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
General Luciano Portolano, Chief of the Defence Staff, then took the floor and highlighted his pride in the force, a niche of excellence that has assumed a leading role in the field of modern security missions. training, advising, assistance e capacity building; in addition to representing a world reference in the exercise of the function of stability policing, also with the “CoESPU” centre of excellence in Vicenza.
Finally, the Minister of Defense, the Honorable Guido Crosetto, declared: “A chapter in the history of the Carabinieri is closing. Under the leadership of General Luzi, to whom I express deep gratitude, we have seen a Benemerita at the forefront, rooted in tradition, with 'the carabiniere' always at the center. General Luongo has the task of confirming the Arma as a garrison of legality and, at the same time, a point of innovation. To all the Carabinieri, the applause, trust and gratitude of the Nation. There is no Defense without the Carabinieri and there is no Italy without the Carabinieri. "
In the morning, before the event, the two high-ranking officers paid homage to the Fallen by first laying a laurel wreath at the Shrine of the Unknown Soldier, located at the Altar of the Fatherland, and then at the shrine at the Historical Museum of the Arma, a symbolic gesture that underlines the importance of the sacrifices made by the Italian military for the defense and freedom of the country.
