An intense week, the one that has just ended, for the Alpine troops of the 8th regiment of the "Julia" alpine brigade. In fact, the regiment was engaged in intense training activities along the eastern Alpine arc, first the 69th company began its training at the CAT (Tactical Training Center) in Brunico (BZ), followed by the "Tolmezzo" battalion which employed its assets: 6th and 12th company plus the marksmen of the 115th company supporting the maneuver, in a continuous exercise with opposing parties along the upper course of the Tagliamento river.
The training activity of the platoons of the 69th company at the Training Center of Brunico (BZ) includes the carrying out of an exercise with opposing parties, called "Blurred Lines", which had as its purpose, to train the Alpine soldiers to combat in urbanized areas , in a mountain environment, through the use of simulation systems such as the SIAT (Integrated Terrestrial Training System) distributed to the Italian Army. This activity tests the capabilities of the Army soldiers in facing and solving different and complex tactical situations thanks to the use of advanced simulation techniques that allow the reproduction of extremely realistic scenarios.
On the same days along the upper Tagliamento valley, near the town of Villa Santina (UD), the remaining companies of the “Tolmezzo” battalion carried out an exercise called “River Shark 2020”. The men of the 6th company moved in staggered patrols on foot, starting from the barracks of Venzone (UD), along inaccessible itineraries up to the town of Villa Santina (UD) where they formed a defensive line straddling the Tagliamento river to block the I pass to my colleagues, in this case enemies, of the 12th company reinforced by the chosen shooters, who, moving from the town of Socchieve (UD), tried to reach their targets placed near the town of Stazione della Carnia (UD).
The aim of the exercise was to train the staff of the "Tolmezzo" battalion in the planning and conduct of defensive tactical activities, such as the braking of enemy forces and offensive tactical activities such as attacking and capturing a target with daytime foot movements. and nocturnal in mountain environments using combat and survival skills in environments critic and at low temperatures. Also in this case the use of SIAT has allowed the Alpine troops engaged in the exercise to verify in a realistic way the combat procedures refined with the intense training conducted in the barracks. At the end of the activity there was a ceremony of deposition of a floral tribute at the war memorial of Villa Santina (UD), which was attended by the mayor of the Friulian Municipality Domenico Giatti, the commander of the alpine brigade "Julia" general Alberto Vezzoli, the commander of the 8th Alpine Regiment, Colonel Franco Del Favero and a picket in arms of the Alpine battalion "Tolmezzo".
Also in this case the collaboration with the local Section of theNational Alpine Association, which made available the square in front of its headquarters for the deployment of the Tactical group Advanced Command Post and with the local civil authorities as the Municipality of Villa Santina has opened, for the occasion, two Works of the "Vallo Littorio", completed shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and recently restored, to allow the Alpine troops engaged in the exercise to find shelter, to build a tactical company command and being able to immerse yourself even more in the traditions and history of our valleys.
