The tragedy of October 29, 2026, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where four Italian servicemembers lost their lives in the crash of an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter deployed on the EUFOR Althea mission, has once again brought attention to the role of the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana, an auxiliary component of the Armed Forces that has provided medical and welfare support in military operations, emergencies, and crisis theaters for 160 years.
Among those killed in the crash near Brčko were two members of the Corpo Militare Volontario: Tenente Commissario Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergente Laura Procacci, both engaged in medical support activities for the international mission.
Also killed were Italian Army Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi, members of the Aviazione dell'Esercito.
In his message of condolence issued after the tragedy, the Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Carmine Masiello, emphasized the historic bond between the Army and the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana, describing the latter as a «historic and fraternal ally in all operational theaters».
Those words encapsulate a history of cooperation, sacrifice, and service that began in 1866, when the foundations of the Croce Rossa Italiana's military organization were laid, and which in 2026 reached the milestone of 160 years of service alongside the Armed Forces.
This history concerns not only the Corpo Militare Volontario, but also the Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie, the Croce Rossa Italiana's other auxiliary component of the Armed Forces, and carries with it the memory of those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
They include Caporale Raffaele Soru, a member of the Corpo Militare who was killed in the Congo in 1961, and Sorella Maria Cristina Luinetti, of the Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie, who was killed in Somalia in 1993. Together with Zecchillo and Procacci, their names bear witness to the sacrifice of Croce Rossa Italiana personnel on international missions.
From the battles of the Risorgimento to international missions
The origins of the Red Cross date back to the bloody Battle of Solferino and San Martino on June 24, 1859, when Henry Dunant, struck by the suffering of wounded soldiers and the inadequacy of relief efforts, conceived the idea of a humanitarian organization capable of assisting victims of conflict without distinction of nationality or affiliation.
From that experience emerged the International Red Cross Movement and, in 1864, the first core of the Italian Red Cross was established in Milan.
The decisive step toward the creation of its military component came on 1 June 1866, when the Minister of War ordered the first Red Cross Aid Squads to be placed under military discipline, providing for the adoption of uniforms and rank equivalency with the Army.
This date conventionally marks the birth of today's Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana, established to provide medical support to the Armed Forces and destined, over the decades, to become a constant presence in military operations, national emergencies, and international missions.
Its first operational deployment came just weeks later, during the Third War of Independence, when Red Cross medical units provided aid to servicemen wounded in the battles of Custoza and Lissa.
Since then, the Corps has accompanied the Italian Armed Forces through the major conflicts in the nation's history. During the First World War, it mobilized approximately 12,000 personnel and more than 200 field units, including field hospitals and other medical facilities, contributing to the treatment and care of the wounded.
This commitment continued during the Second World War and subsequently in postwar humanitarian operations and international missions, through the deployment of medical personnel, vehicles, and specialized facilities.
Despite evolving operational requirements and medical technologies, the fundamental mission of the Corpo Militare Volontario has remained unchanged: to treat, assist, and protect, even when this means operating in unstable territories, conflict areas, or in close contact with deployed military units.
In June 2026, on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the establishment of the Corpo Militare Volontario, the national president of the Italian Red Cross, Rosario Valastro, recalled the value of this long tradition of service and the support provided to the Armed Forces across different operational environments, emphasizing the continuity of a commitment that links the institution's history to the humanitarian and operational challenges of the present.
The Corpo Militare Volontario: an auxiliary component of the Armed Forces
In addition to its many civilian relief, healthcare, protection and public support activities, the Croce Rossa Italiana has two auxiliary corps of the Armed Forces: the Corpo Militare Volontario and the Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie, both of which have a long tradition of serving alongside Italian military institutions.
The Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana is an auxiliary component governed by military regulations, made up of voluntarily enlisted personnel and tasked with providing medical, welfare and logistical support to the Armed Forces in peacetime, during armed conflicts, international missions and major emergencies.
Its organization includes medical officers, commissariat officers, pharmacists, noncommissioned officers, enlisted personnel and staff with a range of professional specializations, including nurses, rescue personnel, drivers and logistics operators. These diverse skills enable the Corps to establish and deploy medical facilities, vehicles and specialized personnel even in complex operational environments.
Members of the Corps, who are normally on inactive status, may be recalled to service for operational, training and institutional requirements. During recall periods, they are subject to military discipline and assume the status provided for under regulations governing Corps personnel.
Their role is not to take part in combat operations, but to provide medical care and humanitarian support, in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions.
Their main institutional tasks include caring for the wounded and sick, conducting medical evacuations, establishing and operating field hospitals and medical facilities, providing medical support to military contingents, and contributing to relief operations in the event of natural disasters and major emergencies.
Alongside the Corpo Militare Volontario operates the Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie della Croce Rossa Italiana, whose members, traditionally known as Sorelle della Croce Rossa, form the other historic auxiliary component of the Armed Forces. Their work is marked by an established tradition of nursing care, developed during the world wars, international missions and emergencies affecting the national territory.
While maintaining distinct organizations and specific characteristics, the two Corps share the same humanitarian vocation and the ability to operate alongside the Armed Forces, combining medical expertise with military organization.
It is precisely this distinctive nature that represents one of the defining features of the Auxiliary Corps of the Croce Rossa Italiana: men and women who operate with military discipline and organization, but whose core mission remains the protection of human life, care for the wounded, and aid for anyone in need.
From Korea to the Balkans: the Red Cross contribution to military operations
One of the most significant chapters in the history of the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana dates back to the Korean War, when Italy, although not yet a member of the United Nations, took part in the international humanitarian effort by deploying personnel and medical facilities.
In 1951, the Croce Rossa Italiana established the Ospedale da Campo n. 68 near Seoul, staffed by personnel from the Corpo Militare and the Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie. The facility provided medical care to wounded and sick personnel, both military and civilian, in an area deeply scarred by the conflict.
The deployment, which continued until 1955, was one of Italy's first major overseas humanitarian missions in the postwar period, helping strengthen the Croce Rossa Italiana's international reputation and the operational capabilities of its medical personnel.
In the years that followed, the Corpo Militare Volontario continued to support the Italian Armed Forces in major crisis zones and international missions, from the Congo to Lebanon, from Somalia to Iraq and Afghanistan, and in operations in the Balkans. This commitment involved the deployment of specialized medical personnel, field medical facilities, and support capabilities for deployed contingents.
At the same time, Croce Rossa Italiana personnel contributed to relief operations during major domestic emergencies, from earthquakes to floods, providing medical expertise, logistical resources, and organizational capabilities, often in cooperation with the Armed Forces and the Civil Protection system.
The presence of the Corpo Militare Volontario in operational theaters is an important component of medical support for missions, providing the professionalism and specialized capabilities essential for caring for military personnel, managing medical emergencies, and, where required, assisting the civilian population.
This long tradition of service also includes the EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina mission, where the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana contributes to the Italian medical contingent, working closely with the Army and, in particular, with the Aviazione dell'Esercito on medical evacuation operations.
The tragedy of October 29, 2026, brought this cooperation dramatically to the public's attention, reminding us that medical personnel, while not assigned to combat duties, share the responsibilities and risks of international missions with the deployed military personnel.
The vital role of medical evacuations
The October 29 incident drew public attention to one of the most sensitive tasks performed by military medical personnel: Medical Evacuation, known as MEDEVAC, the medical evacuation of wounded and sick personnel using specially equipped assets.
This is an essential capability in every operational theater, as it enables the rapid transfer of a patient from the emergency site to a medical facility capable of providing appropriate care.
The Croce Rossa Italiana explained that, as part of the EUFOR Althea mission, its personnel operate through two medical teams that rotate every 30 days: one supporting the Role 1 medical facility at Butmir base, and another dedicated to medical evacuations in support of the air component.
The latter was the unit to which Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Laura Procacci belonged.
Before their operational deployment, both completed the 39th MEDEVAC Course at the Centro di Formazione dell'Aviazione dell'Esercito in Viterbo in July 2026, earning the relevant qualification.
The training program includes theoretical and practical activities, in-flight medical care procedures, and operational integration with Aviazione dell'Esercito crews, including through night exercises.
This preparation demonstrates that the Red Cross contribution in operational theaters is not limited to making medical personnel available, but requires specialized expertise, joint training, and the ability to operate within a complex military structure.
Reflecting this commitment, the tragedy in Bosnia claimed two members of the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana, with different professional and personal backgrounds, but united by their decision to place their skills at the service of others.
Lieutenant Commissary Franco Adriano Zecchillo, a member of the III Centro di Mobilitazione di Milano, was a healthcare professional with more than forty years of experience.
Enlisted in the Corpo Militare in 1984, he served as a registered nurse and a technician in cardiac pathophysiology and cardiovascular perfusion. Alongside his extensive clinical experience, he was involved in university teaching, research and scientific outreach.
Sergeant Laura Procacci, from Andria and a member of the IX Centro di Mobilitazione di Roma, had instead enlisted in May 2025.
A medical student at Sapienza University of Rome, she had developed skills in the management of critically ill patients and trauma care, obtaining qualifications as a TSSA rescue worker, Mine Risk Education operator and Forward MEDEVAC operator.
In June 2026, she took part in Republic Day celebrations, marching along the Imperial Forums as a representative of the Corpo Militare Volontario.
Their presence aboard the CH-47 was linked to a specific professional and training pathway aimed at ensuring medical evacuation capability as part of the international mission.
A third member of the Italian Red Cross MEDEVAC team, medical Lieutenant Colonel Flavio Favari, was also injured in the accident. He was hospitalized in Tuzla and, in its October 30 statement, the CRI said he was alert, conscious and not in life-threatening condition.
Italian Red Cross Auxiliary Corps personnel killed in international missions: from Congo to Bosnia
The deaths of Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci recall two other members of the Italian Red Cross Auxiliary Corps who lost their lives during international missions: Corporal Raffaele Soru, killed in the Congo in 1961, and Sister Maria Cristina Luinetti, killed in Somalia in 1993.
Corporal nurse Raffaele Soru, a member of the Corpo Militare della Croce Rossa Italiana, was deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the United Nations ONUC mission. During an armed attack on the hospital where he was serving, he was seriously wounded while providing medical care to United Nations forces. He died on September 25, 1961, after days of agony.
His death forms part of one of the most painful chapters of Italy's participation in United Nations operations in Africa, in the same year as the Kindu massacre, in which thirteen Italian airmen engaged in a UN mission were murdered. Raffaele Soru's sacrifice bears witness to the risks faced by medical personnel even when their mission is not to fight, but to provide aid.
More than thirty years later, on 9 December 1993, during operation Ibis 2, as part of the UNOSOM II mission in Somalia, Sister Maria Cristina Luinetti, aged 24, lost her life. She belonged to the Corpo delle Infermiere Volontarie della Croce Rossa Italiana and held a rank equivalent to Second Lieutenant.
Having arrived in Mogadishu on 20 November 1993, she served at the Poliambulatorio Italia, where military personnel and the Somali population received medical care. She was killed while trying to prevent an armed man from entering the medical facility. According to the citation for the honor awarded to her, she attempted to divert the attacker's attention from those present, even voluntarily offering herself as a hostage.
Maria Cristina Luinetti is remembered as the first Italian woman to fall during a military peace mission abroad. She was posthumously awarded the honor of Cavaliere dell'Ordine Militare d'Italia. Her story remains deeply intertwined with the history of the Italian mission in Somalia and the sacrifice of the military personnel who operated in the African country between 1992 and 1994.
Raffaele Soru in 1961, Maria Cristina Luinetti in 1993, Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Laura Procacci in 2026: four members of the auxiliary corps of the Croce Rossa Italiana who fell during international missions, in different contexts and circumstances, yet united by the same humanitarian mission.
Their stories remind us that the medical and support work carried out alongside the Armed Forces is not exempt from the dangers that characterize operational theaters. It is also through the memory of these fallen personnel that the words of General Carmine Masiello take on an even deeper meaning. He described the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana as a «historic and fraternal ally in all operational theaters».
A bond measured not only by more than a century and a half of institutional cooperation, but also by the sacrifice of men and women who lost their lives in the fulfillment of their duty, in the service of Italy and the humanitarian principles of the Red Cross.
A history of service that continues
The tragedy in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a reminder of the wide-ranging nature of Italy's contribution to international missions and of the vital role played by those components which, while not performing combat duties, provide capabilities essential to the security and support of military contingents.
Alongside operational units are healthcare professionals, logistics specialists, technicians, and rescuers who share the responsibilities, operating conditions, and risks of overseas missions with deployed military personnel.
For the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana, this commitment represents a tradition of service renewed for 160 years, through generations of men and women who have chosen to place their expertise at the service of the Armed Forces and the protection of human life.
The deaths of Lieutenant Commissary Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci, together with those of Esercito Italiano Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi, represent one of the most painful chapters of this collaboration today.
Their sacrifice also recalls Medical Corporal Raffaele Soru, killed in the Congo in 1961, and Sister Maria Cristina Luinetti, killed in Somalia in 1993, members of the two auxiliary corps of the Croce Rossa Italiana.
These are stories from different eras and missions, yet united by the same calling to service, in the awareness that even those tasked with providing aid, care, and saving human lives may be called upon to face the dangers of operational theaters.
In this context, the words of the Capo di Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito, General Carmine Masiello, who described the Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana as a «historic and fraternal ally in all operational theaters», take on particularly profound meaning.
This recognition attests to a relationship built over more than a century and a half of cooperation, training, missions, and shared sacrifices, in which healthcare professionalism stands alongside military discipline and the humanitarian principles of the Croce Rossa.
A bond that runs through Italy's history and continues to endure in the daily commitment of those who, wearing the uniform of the Croce Rossa Italiana, choose to serve the country and protect human life, even in the most difficult and dangerous environments.
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