Swearing-in moved to Caserta: farewell to Pozzuoli for the Air Force Academy?

The solemn oath of the students of the course “Falcon VI” of theAeronautics Aeronautics, expected for Wednesday, April 16, will not be held in Pozzuoli, the historic seat of the Academy, but in Caserta. The Air Force itself announced it, justifying the choice as an exceptional measure linked to the "known situation of the Campi Flegrei". In fact, the Phlegraean territory has been affected by bradyseism phenomena and seismic swarms for months, with recurrent tremors felt by the population and recorded punctually by the Vesuvius Observatory.

A decision that, if on the one hand is presented as temporary and prudential, on the other has turned the spotlight back on a much more serious and structural hypothesis: the possible permanent transfer of the Air Force Academy from Pozzuoli to Northern Italy. An eventuality that has been circulating for months and that, if confirmed, would mark the end of a relationship lasting over sixty years between the military institution and the Phlegraean city.

The Oath in Caserta

There will be 129 young students, selected from approximately 5,000 candidates from all over Italy, who will pronounce the oath of loyalty to the Republic and its institutions at the headquarters of the Air Force Specialists School in Caserta. A location not chosen by chance: it is in fact the first historic establishment of the Air Force Academy, active from 1926 to 1943. The ceremony will be sealed by the passage of the National Aerobatic Team, the Frecce Tricolori, and will see the presence of civil and military authorities, as well as numerous family members of the students.

The move was defined by the top brass of the Air Force as “a choice of opportunity”, dictated by the need to protect the safety of the guests and guarantee the regularity of the event in a context, that of the Campi Flegrei, which remains unstable. The recent seismic sequence recorded between 11 and 12 April — with ten tremors up to magnitude 2.2 — confirms the state of continuous attention.

L’ombra del trasferimento dell’Accademia Aeronautica

However, the decision to move the oath has fueled new fears about the future of the Academy in Pozzuoli. For months, rumors have been circulating about a possible transfer of the entire structure to a new location between Bergamo and Brescia. In the province of Brescia, in particular, several options have already been evaluated: the military airport of Ghedi, active and strategic, and the civilian airport of Montichiari, currently scarcely used.

The first to raise the hypothesis, last November, was the Courier of the South with an article signed by Vincenzo Esposito. Since then, the issue has returned to the center of political and institutional debate several times, so much so that it pushed the Pozzuoli MP of the 5 Star Movement, Antonio Caso, to present a parliamentary question to the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto. "Relocating the Academy would be a negative signal for the citizens and a socioeconomic damage for the entire territory," declared the parliamentarian. "If we citizens have to live with seismic and volcanic risk, why can't the armed forces do the same?"

Crosetto: “We are thinking about the risks, but no final decision”

The Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, also intervened on the matter, trying to reassure: "No one has ever spoken of moving the Air Force to the North, the Center or the South. There was talk of a very serious problem regarding bradyseism, not only for the Air Force headquarters but for the entire area". Words that, rather than denying, seem to leave open a glimmer of hope for the possibility of a structural rethink, if the situation were to worsen further.

Meanwhile, the community of Pozzuoli and several institutional representatives continue to protest. The Neapolitan deputy Francesco Borrelli (AVS) harshly attacked the decision to move the ceremony: «What really prevents the event from being held in Pozzuoli? The schools and public offices are all regularly open. We find such behavior disrespectful towards the citizens and the history of the Academy. The military should be the last to leave a territory in danger, not the first to flee».

The stakes for Pozzuoli

The most concrete fear is that the eventual transfer of the Academy would not only be a symbolic loss, but a very hard blow to the economy and the very identity of the city. Pozzuoli has had an inseparable relationship with the Air Force for decades: the Academy represents a prestigious garrison, a generator of economic spin-offs and a strong element of identity. Its removal would mark an irreparable fracture.

It is no coincidence that protests are also mounting among citizens and economic operators in the area, worried about the possible negative impact on the tourist season, already put to the test by news of bradyseism. The choice of Caserta for the swearing-in, although justifiable from a precautionary perspective, is seen as a dangerous precedent.

An open question

On Wednesday, April 16, in Caserta, the 129 students of Corso Falco VI will pronounce their oath. But Pozzuoli will be haunted by the shadow of a decision that could change the fate of the Academy and the city forever. Parliament will be called to discuss it, but in the meantime, citizens and local representatives are asking for clarity: if there is a military evacuation plan, let it be said openly; if instead it is only a temporary choice, then let the territory soon be given back the centrality it deserves.

Source: https://napoli.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/25_aprile_11/scosse-nei-campi-flegrei-l-accademia-aeronautica-giuramento-degli-allievi-a-caserta-e-tornano-i-timori-di-un-trasloco-8ebfe54c-7eb3-476a-98b1-98abda929xlk.shtml