Strength, Technique, and Command: Completed the Selected Patrol Course of the 205th “Fierezza”

The “Selected Patrol” Course, one of the most selective and significant training moments for the Officer Cadets of the 205th Course “Fierezza” of the Military Academy of Modena, recently concluded at the Italian Army Infantry School. The event, held in recent days, was attended by high military authorities: General of the Army Corps Carlo Lamanna, Commander for Training, Specialization, and Doctrine of the Army, Major General Stefano Messina, Commander of the Military Academy, and Brigadier General Eugenio Dessì, Commander of the Infantry School.

This milestone marked the completion of a particularly intense training path, combining technical-tactical preparation, physical endurance, and decision-making readiness. The course represents one of the most challenging stages on the path to becoming an Officer and is open exclusively to attendees who pass a rigorous initial selection. The 161 Cadets participating – men and women from the Army and the Carabinieri Corps – faced one of the most demanding and formative tests of their entire academic journey.

The first phase, conducted at the Military Academy of Modena, included a technical-professional culture test on combat patrol procedures and high-intensity physical tests, including endurance, agility, and muscle strength, essential for facing the subsequent activities in the so-called “ardor gym”.

Advanced Training and Real Operational Scenarios

The active phase of the course, lasting five weeks, took place at the Infantry School and culminated in two continuous operational exercises: “Orsa Minore”, lasting 24 hours, and “Orsa Maggiore”, spread over four days among the wooded and hilly areas of Tolfa and Monteromano, in the province of Viterbo. In both cases, the Cadets were divided into opposing parties, recreating a realistic and dynamic combat context.

The training aimed to consolidate the technical and tactical skills related to conducting combat patrols, while simultaneously enhancing psychophysical and attitudinal preparation. The activities undertaken included climbing an alpine wall, crossing a “Himalayan” bridge, abseiling from an 18-meter high tower, as well as exercises in topographic orientation and logistical management of their backpack and equipment.

These exercises, while requiring significant physical effort, were also designed to develop the Cadets' ability to maintain clarity and command in complex and stressful environments. In particular, the educational approach focused on simulating high-intensity operational scenarios, offering participants a realistic and comprehensive preparation.

The Legacy of the Course and the Future of Military Leadership

During the closing ceremony, General Lamanna emphasized how the “Selected Patrol” badge represents not only a formal recognition but also a symbol of personal and professional maturation. Addressing the Cadets, he highlighted the importance of this experience in the formation of a Commander:

“One day, when you are called to lead women and men in operational contexts, this experience will come to mind. It will be a compass in decisive moments, a source of inspiration in difficult times.”

The significance of this course goes far beyond its technical value. It represents an identity moment, a key passage that instills in the Cadets the awareness of the role they will assume: being leaders, capable of deciding, guiding, and facing uncertainty with balance and determination.

In the context of modern military training, where the complexity of operational scenarios requires increasingly multidimensional preparation, the Selected Patrol Course confirms itself as a central element in the construction of Italian military leadership. The 205th Course “Fierezza” thus leaves an important mark, confirming the excellence of the Military Academy and the Army's Specialization Schools.