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Training Air Wing 4 Wings Italians Aviators

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090728-16
Release Date: 7/28/2009 2:46:00 PM

From Chief of Naval Air Training Public Affairs

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (NNS) -- Three Italian pilots received their wings of gold July 24 aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi during a winging ceremony.

Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas served as guest speaker.

Lt. j.g. Fabio Laporta, Lt. j.g. Gabriel Parmegiani and Lt. j.g. Marco Zitelli of the Italian Navy were among the 17 Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force aviators that received their pilot wings from Training Squadron (VT) 31 and VT 35 for multi-engine aircraft.

The official party of Lorenz, Rear Adm. Mark Guadagnini, chief of Naval Air Training, Capt. David Price, commodore, Training Air Wing 4, Cmdr. Dennis Crews, commanding officer VT-31 and Lt. Col. Robert Bragg, commanding officer VT-35 all play a large role in building joint international partnerships throughout the world.

In conjunction with Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity, Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) continues to strengthen international relationships by providing undergraduate level aviation training for international pilots and navigators. This training is a mainstay of the security cooperation training program.

Among the many current and prospective country partners in this training endeavor are Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and United Kingdom.

In the execution of the maritime strategy, Guadagnini directs that all commands strive to build relationships, strengthen and expand alliances and partnerships, promote peacetime and contingency access for U.S. forces, and promote relevant information sharing and exchanges of mutual security concerns.

There are currently 25 Italian aviators in the NATRACOM. Laporta, Parmegiani and Zitelli will report to Training Air Wing 5 at NAS Whiting Field, Fla. to receive instruction on the TH-57 Sea Ranger.

NATRACOM is expected to train more than 100 maritime partner aviators by the end of fiscal year 2009, 110 in fiscal year 2010 and an additional 689 projected through fiscal year 2015.

For more news from Chief of Naval Air Training, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnatra/.