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 | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Lt Gen Enzo Vecciarelli as Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force | |
| Born | 13 May 1957 Colleferro, Italy |
| Allegiance |  Italy |
| Service/ | Italian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1975–present |
| Rank |  General |
| 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 on May 13, 1957 at Colleferro, Italy and attended the Accademia Aeronautica from 1975 to 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 9º Stormo (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. From 1993 to 1999 he was stationed at the Personnel Division of Air Force Staff and from 2002 to 2004 he was with the Air Force Logistic Command Staff.[3]
He also served as the commander of the Italian Contingent in Iraq during the Iraq War at the Nasiriya Air Base under the “Ancient Babylon Operation” framework.[3] From 2007 to 2010, he was served at the Italian Embassy in Berlin as a Defence and Air Force Attaché with secondary accreditation for The Netherlands and Denmark.[3]
He became Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command during Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya and became the Deputy Chief of Staff of Defense from February 2015 to February 2016. He was the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force from March 2016 to November 2018, and then became Chief of the Defence Staff.[4]
Awards
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/
- "Enzo Vecciarelli, Chief of Defence of the Italian Armed Forces". NATO. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- it:Enzo Vecciarelli
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |