Vincenzo Camporini

Infobox Military Person
name= Vincenzo Camporini


caption= Vincenzo Camporini standing in full uniform without his forage cap
rank= General
branch= Italian Air Force
commands= Italian Air Command
unit=
battles=
family=
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|Italy Italy
lived=
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath=
serviceyears= 1965-present
portrayedby=
laterwork=
awards= Long Navigation Medal, Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Commandeur of the Order of Merit of the French Republic, Santos Dumont Medal to the Merit of the Republic of Brazil, the Italian Defence General Staff Decoration of Honour, and the Diploma Paul TissandierLieutenant General Vincenzo Camporini, KGC, born in 1946, is the Chief of Defence General Staff on February 12, 2008. He became the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force on September 20, 2006. Camporini has over 2500 hours flying time in over twenty different aircraft including F-104, Tornado, AMX, heavy transport aircraft and helicopters. General Camporini is also qualified in Aeronautical Sciences and International and Diplomatic Sciences. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Military career

Positions and ranks

Before being a general officer

He was in the Air Force Academy in 1965 where he later graduated in 1969. During his time as a Lieutenant Colonel he served as an F-104 RECCE pilot with the 3rd Wing in Villafranca (Verona), during which he commanded the 28th Squadron right after his graduation at the NATO Defence College in 1977 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.cite web|url=http://www.nato.int/cv/chod/it/camporini.htm |title= NATO Biographies - Camporini|accessdaymonth=27 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=NATO] After graduating at the ITAF Air War College in 1982 he served as Staff Officer at the Personnel Division of the Air Staff.

As a general officer

Between 1983 and 1985 he was the Aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff. With the rank of Colonel, which he earned in 1985, he served in the Weapon Systems Research and Development Office.cite web|url=http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/int_site/Chief_int.asp |title= Aeronautica Militare - Vincenzo Camporini|accessdaymonth=1 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=Aeronautica Militare] cite web|url=http://www.site-members.com/ncw2/Biographies2.pdf |title= Site-Members - Vincenzo Camporini|format=PDF|accessdaymonth=1 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=International Quality & Productivity Centre] In 1988 Camporini commanded the Air Force Flight Test Centre and represented Italy to the Aerospace Application Study Committee of AGARD. In the Air Force Staff he served as the chief of the New Weapon Systems Technical Development, including EFA, and was the Italian Representative in the NAEW program. During his time at the rank of Brigadier General, starting from 1993, he directed the Plans, Operations and Training Division and in 1996 was the Inspector of Aviation for the Navy. In April 1996 he was given the title of Inspector of the Aviation for the Navy. As a Major General, he has been appointed as Inspector for Flight Safety and Chief of the 3rd Division of the Defence General Staff Military Policy, International Affairs, Armament Control and Civil Defence. On April 20th 2001, with the rank of Lieutenant General, took up the position of Deputy Chief of Defence General Staff until February 29th 2004 when he was designated as president of the Italian Centre for High Defence Studies.

As the Chief of Staff

Camporini began holding office as a General in the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force on September 20, 2006. He is now a command pilot with experience in over twenty different aircraft including F-104, Tornado, AMX, heavy transport aircraft and helicopters. As of December 2003 he had flown around 2500 hours. On February 12 2008 General Camporini was appointed to Chief of Defence General Staff.

Vision of the Italian Military's future

DNMG Conference

Air Force Objective

In a Defense News Media Group Conference, "Camporini: Create Interoperability Through Modeling and Simulation" Camporini said that the objective for the Air Force is to develop an infrastructure that could support decision makers in the procurement phase and operational sites in the employment of new systems and technologies to be used for training purposes and for operational reasons.cite interview |last= Camporini|first= Vincenzo |interviewer= Barry Rosenberg |title=Defense News Media Group Conferences|accessdaymonth=1 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=Aeronautica Militare]

Modeling and Simulation

He also wishes to acquire modeling and simulation (M&S) gear in four areas: air and ballistic missile defense; operational planning, tasking and evaluation; operational training and mission practice in distributed environments; and coalition operations and crisis response. Camporini's opinion of the Modeling and Simulation Department's vision is that the key concept in the Air Force M&S vision is a joint synthetic battle space connecting analysis and training, as well as tying together many types of models and simulations with different kinds of operators. Camporini says that he believes the simulations extend from high-level aggregate models to detailed engineering models, from pilots in live aircraft and simulators to hardware components and laboratory test beds.

OSCE Seminar

Ministry of Defence

Vincenzo Camporini believes that in the future the Ministry of Defence needs to rewrite their military doctrines, taking into account the redistribution of responsibility imposed by the new technology and conversely they have to take the greatest care in nurturing the maturity and the cultural level of the troops, throughout the education that is provided. he has stated the he wonders whether the OSCE is not in the position to take any initiative in the field of education of military personnel, or to make everybody aware of the specifics related to the operations peculiar to its mission.cite web|url=http://www.difesa.it/SMD/CASD/Presidente/discorsi-interventi-dettaglio.htm?DetailID=558 |title= Difesa - OSCE Seminar - Vincenzo Camporini|accessdaymonth=1 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=Aeronautica Militare]

Jobs and challenges

He states that he is fully convinced that the greatest challenge is not technology in itself, is not security and integrity of data, is not the decluttering of information, but the quantum leap in culture required at all echelons. Generals must learn to do and stick to their job of strategists and planners, leaving tactics where they belong; platoon commanders must learn to take their own growing share of responsibility to conduct actions that concur with the intent indicated by generals, without minute by minute directions.

Awards

His awards and decorations include Gold Medal for Flying Merit, Command Gold Medal, Gold Cross for Military Service, Italian Defence General Staff Medal of Honour, Commandeur of the Order of Merit of the French Republic, Santos Dumont Medal to the Merit of the Republic of Brazil, and the Diploma Paul Tissandier awarded by the Federation Aeronatique International. He also received the Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republiccite web|url= http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/Sitoam/default.asp?idente=1398&idNot=20167&idSez=7&idArg=2327 |title= Aeronautica Difesa - Vincenzo Camporini|accessdaymonth=1 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=Aeronautica Militare] cite web|url= http://www.difesa.it/SMD/CaSMD/Biografia_Eng_Gen_Camporini1.htm |title= Difesa - Vincenzo Camporini|accessdaymonth=1 April|accessyear=2008|publisher=Aeronautica Militare]

Personal life

Camporini earned University degrees in Aeronautical Sciences and International and Diplomatic Sciences. He is currently a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is married to the former Silvana Alemanno, with which they have a daughter and twograndchildren.

References