Italian Government
Oath-taking Ceremony for the 15th Class of Carabinieri Marshal Cadets
Today, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, the swearing-in ceremony for the 15th Class of Carabinieri Marshal Cadets and the presentation of the epaulets—named in honor of Marshal Major Oreste Leonardi, recipient of the Gold Medal for Civil Valor “posthumously”—took place.
“Dear cadets, the presence of the President of the Republic is a sign of attention and solidarity that we feel deeply and genuinely, and it lends this ceremony even greater and more precious significance. But above all, this ceremony will remain etched in your memory: today you have sworn allegiance to the Republic.
Yours is an individual choice, but also a collective one, because each of you becomes a fundamental building block of the Republic, of the security of our communities, and of our children’s future.
We are here to honor this choice and to remind you that you will never be alone in bearing its weight and responsibility.
You are Carabinieri, part of the Carabinieri family, which in turn is part of the larger Defense family. And if one day you find yourselves in difficulty, do not withdraw into yourselves. There will always be other Carabinieri ready to support you, to share in your sacrifice, and to restore to you the strength you have given to the country.” So said Minister Crosetto.
The ceremony, held in Florence at the “Felice Maritano” Barracks, was attended by, among others, the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Luciano Portolano; the Commander-General of the Carabinieri, Lieutenant General Salvatore Luongo; and civil, military, and religious authorities.
As is tradition, the swearing-in of the cadets was accompanied by a celebration of the Day of the Gold Medals for Military Valor, attended by Lieutenant Colonel Gianfranco Paglia, recipient of the Gold Medal for Military Valor.
A solemn moment of the ceremony was the presentation by the Head of State of the “alamari” to the Course Leader, followed by the presentation by family members to the cadets of the 15th Course.
