The 163rd Course “Lealtà” commemorates 40 years since appointment to Second Lieutenant

Forty years of history, values, and esprit de corps. Today, at the historic headquarters of the Army Officers' School in Turin, the 163rd Course “Lealtà” of the Italian Army celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their appointment to Second Lieutenant, in an event filled with emotion, memories, and profound meanings.

The ceremony was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Army, General of the Army Corps Carmine Masiello, also a member of the 163rd Course, welcomed by the Commander for Training, Specialization and Doctrine of the Army, Gen. C.A. Carlo Lamanna, and the Deputy Commander of the Institute, Gen.B. Luigi Carpineto. The high-ranking officer was honored by a guard of honor formed by attending Officers, in a symbolic embrace between generations.

Values that transcend time

The day began with the Solemn Flag Raising ceremony, followed by the laying of a laurel wreath at the Monument to the Fallen in the Courtyard of Honor. A moment of reflection, made even more poignant by the reading of the names of the Fallen of the Course by Gen. C.A. (res.) Antonio Bettelli, Chief Chosen of Regiment of the 163rd Course.

In his speech, Gen. Masiello addressed a message to the young Officers of the 203rd Course “Lealtà”, present at the ceremony:

“Today is a passing of the baton in the responsibility of taking on the country, keeping the fire of loyalty always alive within you. Loyalty is a way of life. The bond of belonging to the same course will cement a solidarity among you that will accompany you throughout life, making you stronger and better. Prepare yourselves to be Commanders, that is, a beacon of inspiration and example for your soldiers. It's a matter of values.”

Words that strengthened the bond between those who have already walked the path and those who are preparing to take up the baton today, in an ideal continuity founded on loyalty, military identity, and dedication to duty.

Tradition, memory, and pride

After the traditional Course photo, participants visited the historic rooms of the eighteenth-century Palazzo dell’Arsenale, a symbol of officer training in the Army. Particularly heartfelt was the tribute to the Institute Flag, decorated with the Silver Medal for Military Valor and the Bronze Medal for Army Valor, by the Course Chiefs of each Arm and Corps of the 163rd.

The meeting with the Officer cadets of the 203rd Course represented a precious moment of intergenerational exchange, where experience and youth confronted each other, strengthening the sense of belonging and the transmission of those values that have always been the cornerstone of the Institution.

A farewell full of meaning

The event concluded in the Main Hall, with the video greeting of the Commander of the Officers' School, Gen. C.A. Antonello Vespaziani, and the traditional exchange of gifts between reunion attendees and institutions.

Among the military authorities present at the gathering were also the Commander of the Land Operational Forces, Gen. C.A. Gaetano Zauner, the Commander of the Land Operational Support Forces, Gen. C.A. Massimo Scala, and Gen. C.A. (res.) Massimo Panizzi, former Commander of the Military Geographic Institute.