The rise of general officers from the air force continues within the Armed Force.
The former Commander of the 185th RRAO 'Thunderbolt' Alessandro Grassano received the second star from General. Born in Alessandria on 21 November 1970, Grassano began his career at the Army Military Academy in Modena in 1990. After attaining the rank of lieutenant in 1995, he began serving in the 185th Parachute Artillery Regiment 'Folgore' of Livorno.
In 2002, he served as a Liaison Officer at KFOR Mission Headquarters in Pristina, and the following year he was deployed as an Information Officer in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He gained extensive operational experience by participating in missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, demonstrating excellent skills in handling complex situations. In 2004, while at the Initial Core of the Army Special Forces Command in Florence, he served as HUMINT Officer in Iraq, as part of Operation 'Ancient Babylon'.
After the Staff Course in 2006, he took command of the Objective Acquisition Battalion at the 185th Parachute Regiment RRAO 'Folgore'. His expertise has led him to hold important training positions, such as command of the Allievi Battalion at the Military Academy of Modena and important roles at the Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze (COVI) in Rome.
His promotion to Brigadier General on 1 January 2021 and subsequent command of the Italian Bilateral Mission in support of the Republic of Niger represent a continuation of his commitment to international cooperation and security. In his current post as Deputy Chief of the 3rd Department Strategic Direction and Military Cooperation of the Defence General Staff, Gen. Grassano deals with international cooperation, a crucial area for Italian defence and security policy.
Promotion to Major General is not only the recognition of a career spent in the service of the country and the international community, but also reflects the importance of the skills, experience and leadership demonstrated by the General over the years.
Thunderbolt Mr. General!
