Italian Government
The President of the Republic and the Minister of Defence attend the presentation of military pilot wings
Today, at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Decimomannu, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, a ceremony was held to award military pilot wings to personnel from the Armed Forces, the Armed Corps and non-state bodies, as well as to personnel from foreign air forces who have completed their training at the Air Force flight schools.
"Mr President of the Republic, your presence here today, as on many other occasions, is a source of honour and confidence for us: it is a concrete sign of the attention you constantly devote to the Armed Forces, their commitment and their daily sacrifice. Today is a special day, especially for the young pilots who are receiving the Aquila Turrita today: a moment that will remain indelibly etched in their memories. Alongside the Italian pilot cadets here today are foreign colleagues who have completed their training at the Italian Air Force flight schools. This is a recognition of Italian excellence in flight training, the result of a modern and forward-looking vision that has made Italy an international model. The Aquila Turrita we are awarding today is not just a symbol: it represents the assumption of a specific responsibility. That of embodying and defending the founding values of the collective defence of our country, Italy, in accordance with the laws and the Constitution. Italy entrusts them, and you, not only with state-of-the-art aircraft, but also with a forward-looking vision, both of which are projected into the future: training of technological, cultural and human excellence, based on innovation and international cooperation. A concrete example is the school that hosts us today – the International Flight Training School (IFTS) – a campus recognised worldwide as a benchmark for the quality and modernity of its training model. This is what defence represents and must represent: fulfilling its primary mission – defending free institutions, democracy and ensuring the safety of citizens. Defence also contributes to building the future, representing a formidable engine of development, a technological lever, a driver of innovation and skilled and sustainable employment. It is a sector capable of generating otherwise unattainable investments as well as concrete social, industrial, employment and technological benefits. Today, we entrust you, young pilots, with complex technologies that few know how to control, but which will be fundamental to protecting the future of us all. Yet, however sophisticated, no technology can ever replace what we are celebrating today: judgement, responsibility, conscience, ethical sense and moral drive. No machine will ever be able to feel, calculate and evaluate the weight of a choice, nor will it ever have, within itself, the moral strength of an oath taken. And this is also why your mission is so important: we are not only entrusting you with exceptional, cutting-edge tools, but also with the most delicate task of all: interpreting new scenarios, always having the strength to discern between good and evil, and always choosing good in the interests of the country."
So said Minister Guido Crosetto at the IFTS in Decimomannu during the ceremony for the awarding of the Military Pilot Eagles.
