«The hallmark of the Alpine troops is their disinterested and genuine commitment to the country». It will be also General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo at the ninety-fifth national rally of the Alpini to Vicenza. «I will march with the Alpine troops», he announces. “The sense of being Alpine is to always be at the service of Italy”, says the government’s extraordinary commissioner for reconstruction in the territories affected by the recent floods in Romagna, Tuscany and Marche and already extraordinary commissioner for the vaccination campaign during the pandemic.
General, what is the meaning of being an Alpine soldier today?
«The meaning is that of the origins: to always be at the service of Italy, proudly wearing the hat with the pen, one of the most appreciated and loved symbols of our Army. Because it is synonymous with resistance, commitment, courage, solidarity. The Alpini are mountain soldiers, linked to traditions, the territory and its communities. A tradition and an essence that the Alpine troops of today’s army cherish and embody. The current units are made up of men and women from all Italian regions and constitute a versatile, modern and technological force, ready to face all security challenges, leveraging the DNA of mountain training, which makes them truly special.
Is there a memory that you carry in your heart linked to the Alpine corps?
«I remember when, as a young lieutenant who had just arrived at the Aosta mountain artillery group, I was caught by the captain while I was going to the camp canteen at the foot of Monviso. He said to me: “Lieutenant, what are you doing? Doesn’t he know that officers eat last? Only in this way can we be sure that all our men have eaten.” My first Alpine lesson: don’t leave anyone behind and above all always check that things are done as they should.”
First the commitment during the pandemic, now the post-flood commitment. Did he bring with him the know-how learned with the Alpine troops?
“Certainly. My training as an officer of the Alpine troops was marked by the relationship with the mountains, which are a teacher of severe life. In times of difficulty you need to work as a team, make decisions with a great sense of responsibility, even when young, and take obsessive care in planning activities. This imprinting has been crucial throughout my career in Italy and abroad, an added value during the unprecedented vaccination campaign that brought the country out of the emergency and, today, in the complex phases of the reconstruction of the territories of Emilia-Romagna , Marche and Tuscany hit by last year’s violent flood.
Will you go to Vicenza? And, beyond your presence, do you have a message for the Alpine soldiers of today and yesterday who will march there?
«I will certainly be in Vicenza, a wonderful city and people, and I will parade with the Alpini, in the usual extraordinary atmosphere of pride, friendship, a sense of belonging to a large family united in commitment. The hallmark of the Alpine troops is their disinterested and genuine commitment to the country. A commitment represented by the hat. In this regard, I would like to recall the words of Egisto Corradi, author of one of the most beautiful books on the Russian campaign: “The Alpine hat is not a hat for smart people, it is not in the sense that the word smart is given in Italy. The Alpine troops are anything but smart, I agree with this definition. They are serious people.”
Two years ago in Rimini there was an uproar over the alleged harassment that allegedly occurred during the meeting. What idea did you have? Do you think that unpleasant incidents or even protests could happen again this year?
«I reiterate the concept expressed at the time: zero tolerance on any episode of sexual harassment, by anyone. We are talking about unacceptable behaviors which are the furthest thing that can exist from the values of respect and solidarity typical of the Alpine universe and must be condemned without distinction. It is a problem present in society that must be addressed culturally, in the name of the concepts of respect and equality.”
In these times, what are the commitments of the Alpine troops in Italy and abroad?
«Our armed forces work concretely for security and stability, internal and international. They are engaged in operational theaters on four continents, in operations and missions under the aegis of the UN, NATO, the EU, as well as in bilateral and coalition missions. In total, there are more than 13 thousand men and women from all the armed forces deployed in 29 missions in 25 countries around the world, in complex and delicate contexts. There are around 800 Alpine troops abroad and most of them operate in southern Lebanon, where the Taurinense Brigade is deployed and currently operates in a sensitive and critical quadrant from a socio-economic point of view. There, the Alpine troops with the blue helmets of the United Nations are doing an extraordinary job to maintain peace and stability. In Italy, however, more than 1,700 soldiers of the Alpine troops participate in the Strade aicure operation and are included in the Val Susa-Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont-Liguria and Lombardy-Trentino groups. They contribute, side by side with the police forces, to our safety and they do it in the Alpine way, that is, with discretion, professionalism, attention, ability to listen, without sacrificing firmness, if necessary, and with a lot of generosity and spirit of solidarity towards the population. A solidarity that benefits – as regularly happens when there is an overseas mission – from the generosity of the Alpine troops on leave, who mobilized last winter to raise funds with which to allow the creation of social support initiatives for local communities more needy. Alpine troops in arms and on leave are always together in emergencies: I think of the Vajont disaster, the violent earthquake in Friuli, the earthquakes that hit Irpinia and central Italy, the Covid-19 emergency – with the Alpine troops in arms and on leave side by side in facing an unprecedented dramatic situation – until the flood that hit Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and the Marche, with the volunteers of the ANA Civil Protection always on the front line on the ground together with the armed forces ».
