Enzo Vecciarelli
Air Squadron General Enzo Vecciarelli is an Italian Air Force officer who serves as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Italian Armed Forces. He previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force[1] before being appointed Chief of the Defence Staff.[2]
Enzo Vecciarelli | |
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Lt Gen Enzo Vecciarelli as Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force | |
Born | Colleferro, Italy | 13 May 1957
Allegiance | |
Service/ | Italian Air Force |
Years of service | 1975–present |
Rank | |
Commands held | Chief of the Defence Staff Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff of Defense 9º Stormo |
Battles/wars | Iraq War Operation Odyssey Dawn |
Background
Gen. Enzo Vecciarelli was born in May 13, 1957 at Colleferro, Italy and attended the Accademia Aeronautica from 1975–1979, and graduated in Aeronautical Sciences at the University of Naples Federico II, and in International and Diplomatic Sciences at the University of Trieste.
He earned his pilot's license at the Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, and his Fighter Pilot Qualification at the Holloman Air Force Base, in New Mexico. He attended various courses such as the Normal Course and Superior Course of the Air War School in Florence, the Air War College at the Air University at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, the Defense Resource Management Course at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and the EVENING (Session Européenne des Responsables d'Armement) at the Centre des Hautes Etudes de l'Armement - École Militaire in Paris
A "Fighter-Interceptor" pilot, he held positions in the Italian Air Force such as commander of the 9th Fighter Group in 1991, and the 4th Wing from 1999 to 2002, achieving in total over 2600 hours of flight, most of his time spent flying the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. He also served as the commander of the Italian Contingent in Iraq during the Iraq War at the Nasiriya Air Base, and became Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command during Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya. He then became commander of the 9º Stormo, became Deputy Chief of Staff of Defense, became Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force from 2016–2018, and then became Chief of the Defence Staff in 2018.[3]
Awards
Knight Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Great Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Medal of Merit Santos Dumont from the Brazilian Defense Ministry NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia
References
- Kington, Tom (March 21, 2016). "Italy Selects New Air Force Chief". DefenseNews. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
- https://www.prpchannel.com/en/actuality/general-enzo-vecciarelli-new-chief-of-staff-of-the-general-defense-knows-alberto-rosso-at-the-top-of-the-blue-weapon/
- https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzo_Vecciarelli
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Pasquale Preziosa |
Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force 2016–2018 |
Succeeded by Alberto Rosso |
Preceded by Claudio Graziano |
Chief of the Defence Staff 2018 – |
Incumbent |