Paratroopers in Trevignano: only those who train can improve

In recent hours, various press articles and social media comments have mocked the parachute display by the Paratroopers of the 185th Paratrooper Artillery Regiment Folgore in Trevignano Romano, on the occasion of the celebration for the 12th anniversary of the Reparto's reconstitution. Some Paratroopers, departing by helicopter from Bracciano, missed the designated landing area on Lake Bracciano and landed in different parts of the town center.

Articles like the one by Vincenzo Bisbiglia in Il Fatto Quotidiano and humorously shared by Director Marco Travaglio on his Facebook profile "instead of hitting their target and ending up in the lake - not exactly a puddle, with its “mere” 9 km diameter", along with the numerous comments accompanying the videos circulating on social media, on one hand, express the amazement – and even smiles – of those who saw Soldiers in camouflage unexpectedly land in the town center; on the other hand, however, it is essential to put the episode in its proper perspective.

Parachuting, especially military, is an extremely technical and complex discipline, involving the management of multiple variables: weather conditions, local microclimates, turbulence, and other dynamics of the surrounding environment. Even slight variations in wind can affect the descent trajectory, especially in contexts like a lake surrounded by hills.

Only those who truly train understand these risks and know how to face them. The exercise – which, we recall, only caused some minor bruises to the involved soldiers, who were immediately assisted – highlighted precisely why these activities exist: to train, improve, and correct every margin of error to be ready to operate in any scenario, even the most unpredictable.

Training is the true strength of every military unit: it is by facing difficulties and unforeseen events that one grows and strengthens operational effectiveness. Every mistake on the training field becomes useful experience to avoid much more serious consequences in real contexts.

Anyone who has worn a parachute at least once knows how much courage, preparation, and composure this discipline requires. There are no shortcuts: only through continuous practice and the willingness to take risks, even, unfortunately, at the cost of minor accidents, can one maintain the high level of professionalism that has always distinguished the Folgore Paratrooper Brigade.

Irony can bring a smile, but it should never make us forget the value of the men and women who, with dedication and a spirit of sacrifice, train every day facing risks to be ready to serve the Country.

The Folgore will continue to train, face every challenge, and improve, because this is what makes it one of the excellences of the Italian Armed Forces. Even at the cost of making mistakes during training, aware that only those who truly train can give their best in real operations.

The international geopolitical context is complex: Iran, Ukraine, Gaza remind us that the world is far from stable. It would be truly concerning if our military were confined to barracks like ordinary state employees, instead of preparing to face every possible scenario. But the exact opposite is happening: the Italian Defense System is today a boiling pot, with intense training activity on all fronts – sea, land, air, and even in the cyber domain.

Keep going. Only those who never jump never miss the landing. Or the water landing.