It was held in Piazza del Popolo in Ascoli Piceno, in the presence of the commander for the Army Training, Specialization and Doctrine, general of the army corps Carlo Lamanna, the swearing-in ceremony of the initial volunteers of the Army.
Various military, civil and religious authorities intervened, including the mayor of the capital Piceno, Dr. Marco Fioravanti, the prefect Doctor Carlo De Rogatis, the bishop Monsignor Giampiero Palmieri as well as a festive setting made up of the loved ones of the jurands and the citizens.
Following the reading of the oath formula by the regimental commander, Colonel Marcello Di Mauro, the soldiers, visibly emotional, swore in the presence of the War Flag of the 235th "Piceno" volunteer training regiment and sang the National Anthem, to the tune of the Army Band. “Being in the military has enriched you with values, with awareness of yourself and your limits, with new knowledge, it has strengthened your body and character… you have learned the spirit of sacrifice, loyalty, dedication” these were the words addressed by the commander of the 235th "Piceno" to the 412 men and women deployed in the "city living room" of Ascoli Piceno.
“Today, you volunteers become part of two great families. The family of the 235th Piceno regiment, which will host you in the Emidio Clementi barracks, and the family of the city of Ascoli Piceno, which welcomes you with open arms" were the words of the doctor. Fioravanti, mayor of the Piceno capital.
During his speech, General Lamanna emphasized the solemnity of the promise made by the young volunteers “today you have made a commitment first and foremost to yourselves and your consciences, which transforms you into aware citizens, whose objective will be to work for the community. An unconditional commitment, no ifs or buts!”.
The introduction of the new professional figure of the initial volunteer (VFI) represents a decisive change in the recruitment process for initial careers in the Italian Army, oriented towards a modern professional model that is increasingly in line with the operational needs of the armed force.
