On 27 June 1861, by royal decree, the military veterinary corps was established with the fundamental task of ensuring the physical efficiency of the quadrupeds employed for the needs of the armed force.
During the ceremony, which began with the laying of a laurel wreath at the war memorial, the army logistic commander intervened. He stressed the importance of veterinary assets as a fundamental element for supporting the units used in operations abroad and in Italy during public utility activities or natural disasters.
A premise of the speech by General Montuori was the head of the veterinary department, Colonel Marco Reitano, who, after a welcome address to those present, read the message of the army chief of staff, general of armed Claudio Graziano, to then conclude his inaugural lecture emphasizing the peculiarities that make the contribution of veterinarians with the stars in the current organization of armed force today unique and irreplaceable.
The traditional anniversary closes a week full of events for the veterinary military center, characterized by the conclusion of the university studies campus for veterinary medicine students, the basic 1 level course for veterinary officers and the round table on the "lessons learned" in the field of preventive medicine in operations.
The military veterinary center, based in Grosseto, combines a highly operational component, represented by the dog-loving group, with other components such as an equestrian department for the breeding and training of military horses, a veterinary infirmary equipped for the clinic, diagnostics and dog and horse surgery, the farriery school (the only one in Italy) and a military equestrian center where equestrian training is guaranteed for employees.
The army canine group, set up on 1 July 2002 in Grosseto, within the military veterinary center, is a battalion-level department fed mainly by military personnel who have passed a strict selection.
Today the Italian army can make use of international level know-how and significant experience in the operational field in the dog sector.
The army dog group represents a real elite unit capable of expressing precious dog capacity packages to combat the danger of mines and the terrorist threat of explosive devices.
In fact, the canine nucleuses of Grosseto, from 2002, have been successfully used in all missions abroad (Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, etc.) with the task of guaranteeing the protection of military and civil personnel and increasing the security level of the bases.
Source: Army Logistics Command
