(Press release) -On Tuesday 11 June, on the historic Piazzale delle Bandiere, the turnover ceremony of the Command of the Air Force Specialist School was held, between Colonel Francesco Sassara, outgoing Commander, and Colonel Valerio Massa, incoming Commander. The ceremony was presided over by Air Force General Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the AM Schools/3rd Air Region of Bari, in the presence of the civil and military authorities of Caserta and the province. The ceremony had various significant moments, culminating in the passing of the Flag of the Institute of the AM Specialist School, decorated with a bronze medal for Civil Valor, from the hands of Colonel Sassara to those of Colonel Massa, as a symbolic act of the handover at the top of the School. In his farewell speech, Colonel Sassara thanked the Higher Authorities for the trust placed in him and all the representatives of the local institutions for the exceptional collaboration and closeness to the Caserta Institute during his period of command. In particular, he stated: “I was fortunate enough to be Commander in the year of the centenary of the establishment of our Armed Forces, enriched even further by the anniversary of the 75 years of history of the Specialist School – here – in Caserta; anniversary celebrated through an event full of meaning and values, in full contact with the city and with the numerous rally members who returned to the School where they trained as soldiers and professionals.”, He also expressed gratitude to the staff of the School of Specialists for their commitment and the goals achieved: “I want to gratefully underline that the moral support you have given me in these two years has been crucial in moving forward and continuing, as the school motto states, to “exploit the spaces”.
Finally, Col. Sassara addressed the course attendees of the Specialist School: “TO I hope that you will enhance this important legacy and be, at the same time, demanding protagonists, setting great goals for yourself, starting with study and specialist preparation. However, remember, the military is not just a profession, it is a way of life: what counts is what you know, skills count, but also the life you put into it, without sparing yourself.”.
At the end of his farewell speech, he extended warm wishes to the new Commander for the exciting journey that awaits him in order to ensure that the Specialist School remains at the forefront in the complex sector of specialist training in the future.
Colonel Massa, who leaves his post as Head of the Strategic Innovation Office of the General Defense Innovation Office of the Defense General Staff, joined in greeting the representatives of the local institutions and the guests who attended the ceremony, thanked the Commander of the Schools/ 3rd Air Region of Bari for the trust placed in him and Col. Francesco Sassara for the precious support given to him.
The incoming Commander then turned to the staff of the Specialist School and stated: “THERecognition of the value of professional training cannot ignore the recognition of those responsible for it. I address you men and women of the Air Force Specialist School. Your commitment contributes profoundly to creating a strong and prepared Armed Force; your role is fundamental, and sometimes underestimated, but without you, we could not achieve the excellence and preparation we need”.
Air Force General Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the Schools of the Air Force/3rd Air Region, in his speech, after greeting the Institute Flag of the School and the authorities present representing the institutions and civil society of Caserta and the Province , retraced the stages and exceptional objectives achieved by the Specialist School in the last two years, among which particular importance is given to the achievement of the Certification which approves the Specialist School as a Maintenance Training Organization, in accordance with the procedures and technical requirements defined by the standard AER(EP).P-147: the AM Specialist School of Caserta is the first Air Force Training Institute to complete the complex and detailed process required by the aforementioned European legislation for the provision of basic aircraft maintenance training . In this regard, he announced: “To confirm how well you have worked, I am pleased to publicly extend a collective commendation to the AM Specialist School which intends to underline, in a tangible way, the daily commitment that each of you makes to achieve the objectives indicated..” Gen. SA Frigerio, after thanking Col. Sassara for the work done, addressed the incoming Commander and declared: “The future presents us with increasingly complex and continually evolving scenarios, unpredictable challenges to which we must respond; this requires continuous improvement, also in the training sector, with the aim of providing our attendees with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to leave the School “plug and play”, i.e. immediately employable in the assigned operational departments. Therefore, the task is up to you to go further, always look ahead and – as they say – raise the bar a little further, continuing the “flight towards the future”, as stated in the motto of the Centenary of the Air Force which it was celebrated last year…”.
The ceremony then concluded with the traditional signing of the roll of honor by the Commander of the Air Force Schools/3rd Air Region.
