Army Decoration Lectures: Inspiration and Values for Young Soldiers

L' Italian Army resolutely renews its commitment to the moral and professional training young soldiers, through an initiative with a strong symbolic and educational content: a cycle of lectures given by personnel decorated for acts of heroism.

These meetings, held in cities such as Modena, Capua, Verona, Milan, L'Aquila, Ascoli and Viterboat institutes of excellence such as theMilitary Academy, the NCO School, the Teulié' Military School and the Volunteer Training Regiments (RAV)They represented a moment of high values.

Through the narration of their experiences, the Decorated members of the Army have transmitted to young people in training the founding values of the institution: honour, courage, discipline, spirit of sacrifice e sense of duty. The lectures fostered not only technical learning, but also the construction of identity and belongingwhich are fundamental elements for the cohesion of the Armed Force.

Courage and leadership: a legacy to cherish

During the conferences, the following were shared first-hand accounts of operations in Afghanistan and Iraqtheatres of high operational intensity in which it was essential to act with readiness, determination e esprit de corps.

The Staff Sergeant Andrea Adorno, Gold Medal for Military Valour, recounted his own experience during theOperation Maashin IVoffering an authentic reflection on the meaning of commitment, liability e personal sacrifice in the most critical wartime contexts.

The Lieutenant General Alessandro Albamonte stressed the importance of the military values in leadership traininghighlighting how the command, to be effective, must be based on ethics, lucid decision-making e awareness of one's role.

Other decorators, including the Graduated Adjutant Giacomo Patti, the Selected graduate Stefano La Mattina, the First Marshal Enrico Mercuri and the Ordinary Marshal Gabriele PizzichettiThey made valuable contributions. Graduates Patti and La Mattina shared episodes experienced during missions abroadhighlighting the centrality of the individual resilience and the determination in dealing with unpredictable situations. Marshals Mercuri and Pizzichetti, on the other hand, emphasised the importance of thetechnical training and the psychological preparationindispensable elements for operating safely and effectively in high complexity scenarios.

Serving the Fatherland with awareness and honour

All the speeches conveyed a clear, incisive and profound message to the participants: a military career is not simply a career option, but a real vocationa conscious life choice, rooted in the values of the dedicationof the disciplineof the sense of duty and the responsibility towards the community. Serving in the Italian Army means adhering to a moral code that demands rigour, a spirit of sacrifice and a willingness to put the common good before individual interests.

In an era of rapid change and new global challenges, the direct confrontation with soldiers decorated for acts of heroism - men who experienced, with lucidity and courage, high-risk operational contexts - represents an extraordinarily important educational opportunity. Their testimonies, full of meaning and experience, had a strong emotional and educational impact on young soldiers, contributing to strengthen the sense of belonging to the institution and to consolidate the bonds of values that form the basis of internal cohesion.

Through these moments of exchange, course participants were able to understand how essential it is to assume their role within the Armed Force with awareness and responsibilityrecognising in their choice a moral commitment to the homeland and to their fellow soldiers. The example of those who acted promptly, selflessly and steadfastly in extreme situations is a model to follow, a concrete reference for those preparing to serve Italy in increasingly complex contexts.

Thanks to these testimonies, the students had the opportunity to reflect on the deeper meaning of military servicematuring a clearer and more responsible vision of the path taken.

Conclusion

The initiative promoted by the Italian Army is part of a broader project to promote the historical memory and transmission of the Armed Forces' heritage of values. The conferences of the Decorated represent a bridge between tradition and the futurebetween those who have experienced duty in its highest form and those who are now preparing to take their place in the service of the nation.

A concrete example of how the Army, even in operational modernity, continues to train not only soldiers, but also aware citizens, loyal e ready to serve with honour.

Source: https://www.esercito.difesa.it/comunicazione/Pagine/I-Valori-che-ispirano-il-futuro-dell%E2%80%99Esercito.aspx