JOINT AIR OPERATION SCHOOL RACCOMMENDED FOR UNCONDITIONAL ACCREDITATION

The HQ SACT Quality Assurance Team of Experts (QA ToE) from NATO HQ ACT in Norfolk, USA, conducted an on-site visit to the Italian Joint Air Operations School (ITA JAOS) to verify full compliance with the quality standards required by the Alliance and to continue recognizing it as a NATO Accredited Education and Training Facility.

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ecognizing it as a NATO Accredited Education and Training Facility.

 

“Your Unconditional Accreditation has been gained!” With these words, the head of the Quality Assurance Team of Experts of the Directorate of Joint Forces Development of the NATO Headquarters Allied Command Transformation (NATO HQ ACT) in Norfolk (USA), concluded the First Impression Report (FIR) to Brigadier General Francesco Donato RIZZO, ITA JAOS’ Commandant, at the end of the On-Site Visit (OSV).

The NATO OSV is required by the Directive of the NATO Strategic Commands (Allied Command Operation and Allied Command Transformation), for the accreditation of training institutions as NATO Accredited Education and Training Facilities.

The ITA JAOS, will receive six years after the first concession, the renewal of the NATO Quality Assurance Unconditional Accreditation, confirming itself as the only training institution of the Italian Ministry of Defense holding this certification.

The OSV of the NATO ACT HQ verified the strong commitment of the JAOS’ leadership in the continuous improvement process, the effectiveness of its quality management system (QMS) developed and the full compliance to the quality standards required by the Alliance. For this reason, ITA JAOS courses available to allied countries and international organizations are included in the NATO catalog of training opportunities (Education and Training Opportunities Catalogue – ETOC), certified with the highest level “Approved” and recognized as potential gap fillers of specific training needs of NATO itself.

During the OSV, the QA ToE examined every logistical, organizational, teaching and training aspect of the School, from “Leadership & Management”, to “Education & Training” fields and activities implemented as “Contribution to NATO”.

Particular importance was given to the application of NATO’s strategic concepts in ITA JAOS courses, such as Multi-Domain Operations, the treatment of topics relating to the Cyber domain integrated into the course curricula, and the Digital Transformation applied in teaching supports and aids, including the state-of-the-art JTAC simulation area.

In summary, all the capabilities deployed by the ITA JAOS were examined in order to maintain the highest level of quality and standardization of the entire training chain, which proved to be adequate to guarantee the parameters of excellence, required for high technical military training, also in the NATO context.

General RIZZO, in thanking the ToE for the positive evaluation, expressed words of gratitude for the excellent work carried out by his staff, stating "This is a great result for the men and women of the Ita-JAOS! With commitment, dedication and personal sacrifice, they have operated and continue to operate in a highly professionalizing sector such as high technical-operational training in the field of air to surface integration operations, remote sensing and space. The quality recognized by NATO is a source of pride for all of us! This certification is not only a goal, strongly desired and sought, but a milestone to achieve both at national and international level. Being a NATO Accredited Education and Training Facility, available to the Italian Armed Forces and allied and friendly Countries, fully fits into strengthening the Country System, especially in this times characterized by a highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous international framework."