This morning, at the 1 hangar of the "Fabbri" airport, the celebration of the 40 anniversary of the foundation of the 1 "Antares" Army Aviation Regiment was held.
The ceremony began with the laying of a laurel wreath to commemorate and pay tribute to the fallen.
Subsequently the Holy Mass was celebrated, officiated by the military chaplain don Giuseppe Balducci.
During the homily, the chaplain stressed how: "the anniversary of the constitution of this regiment constitutes a privileged occasion to reflect on the value and dedication that, in these four decades, the blue Basques of yesterday and today have put and put in performing the delicate tasks entrusted to its members".
At the ceremony, which was attended by numerous "ex" members of the regiment, including General De Angelis, 1, the commander of the unit, who together with a representation of theNational Aviation Association of the Army have further sealed the deep bond and sense of belonging that unites the "blue Basque" to the Institution and to the Specialty.
At the end of the brief but heartfelt ceremony, the 20 ° regiment commander, col. Antonio Del Gaudio, after thanking all the participants, in acknowledging the commitment, dedication and technical and professional preparation that the men of "Antares" give daily, reiterated how important the attachment to "Values inherited from the past generations that will allow the youngest to allow the transition on the most technologically advanced versions of the Specialty, even in the presence of strong instability and unfavorable financial times". And then again, "...the bond that is established in carrying out missions that endanger one's life, transforms working relationships into almost family relationships ... and the presence here today among us of the heirs of those who have fallen operating for higher ends testifies to how much this connection goes beyond the human condition ”.
The "Antares" 1 regiment is constantly engaged on two fronts:
Abroad, it has been actively participating for years in NATO and UN peace support and humanitarian intervention missions. From the 1979 the military of "Antares" have been present in Lebanon, Namibia, Kurdistan, Albania, Somalia, Mozambique, Macedonia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, in support of the Armed Forces and at the service of the international community.
At home, the regiment carries out both territorial control activities and resolving interventions in the public calamities of the civil population. In particular, the department was used to respond promptly to the tragic events of Friuli, Val Nerina, Campania, Basilicata, Valtellina, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Piedmont, Val d'Aosta and on the occasion of the earthquake in Abruzzo. Moreover, during the summer period, from June to October, it actively participates with its own CH-47 helicopters in the Civil Protection fire-fighting forest campaign.
At the end of his address, Colonel Del Gaudio concluded: "40 years of professionalism, sacrifice, pride, service to the nation and less fortunate populations. A country and its institutions have the obligation not to forget and we military, above all in a delicate and complex period like the one we live in, must contribute to the security of our fellow citizens and do not render vain the contribution of those who, before us, have strongly believed in Italy, in democracy and in freedom ”.
