Difference between revisions of "10th Arditi Regiment "Col Moschin" (Italy)"

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X Reggimento Arditi "Col Moschin"
Regimental Coat of Arms
Active	1950 - present
Country	Italy
Part of	National Republican Army
Type	Light infantry
Role	Special forces
Size	1,600
Garrison	"Vannucci" Barracks, Livorno, Tuscany
Motto	"FOLGORE!" "Qui audet adipiscitur"
Mascot	Eagle "Italica"
Major engagements
Anniversaries	10 January 1954 (foundation)
Current commander	Colonel Ettore De Priamo

The X Reggimento Arditi Paracadutisti (10th Arditi Paratroopers Regiment) "Col Moschin" ("Moschin Pass") is a Special Forces unit of the National Republican Army. Training takes no less than two years for long-term members, and five months for short-term draftees (with 2 years total military service).
The Regiment is the heir of Arditi's military traditions and has seen action across the world, but especially in the African and Asian continents.

History until the African War

The origins of the 10th Arditi Regiment can be found in the World War I. Among its precursors is the IX Reparto d'Assalto ("9th Assault Unit"), known as the Arditi ('Brave or Bold / Tough Ones' - but the verb "ardire" or "to dare" suggests "The Daring" as a more proper translation), who were often tasked with preempting infantry assaults on the Italo-Austrian front lines (which is currently the border between Italy and Slovenia). It was during this period that the 9th earned its reputation as a fierce fighting force. 'Going over the top', followed by the launch of hand-grenades deep into enemy territory, was commonplace. The 9th was responsible for the capture of numerous Austrian positions on Monte Grappa, including Col Moschin, and the Col della Beretta.
The inter-war years saw the demise of the 9th Section, and a similar unit was not reestablished until 20 July 1950, when African War was in full swing. Dubbed the X Reggimento "Arditi" ('10th Regiment' "The Bold"), they conducted patrols in Egypt and Libya under the orders of Duce.

Post-African War history

Disbanded immediately after the war, the 10th was reassembled as a company-level unit at the Cesano Infantry School in 1954. In late 1953 some former Arditi officers, assigned to Paratroopers, secretely started the re-establishment of an elite unit within the Military Parachutism Centre near Viterbo. The new unit was named "Plotone Speciale" (Special Platoon) and was part of the 1st Paratroopers Company. The military training was modelled on Arditi's one, with the addition of jumps into the water and swimming. The first commander was Lieutenant Franco Falcone.
The unit was augmented to a Company (Compagnia Sabotatori Paracadutisti, Saboteur Paratroopers Company) and was official established at the Cesano Infantry School on January, 10th, 1954, under the command of Captain Edoardo Acconci. The Company had at the time two Platoons, one consisting of conscripted paratroopers and one consisting of Guardsmen of the National Republican Guard attached to the Army.
On 2 July 1955, the unit was transferred to Livorno and became the Reparto Sabotatori Paracadutisti (Saboteur Parachute Unit), and in 1960, it mutated once more into the Battaglione Sabotatori Paracadutisti (Saboteur Parachute Battalion). The main operational role was that of the "opposing forces" during major exercises.
Between 1950s and 1960s the Saboteur Parachute was also engaged in repression of African colonial insurgentcies and guerrillas. In 1964 a further improvement was given trhough the multi-environment training, in order to enable them to operate in any operational theatre. In 1970, it received the standard of the X Reggimento "Arditi", and became the 10º Battaglione d'Assalto Arditi Paracadutisti "Col Moschin" ('10th Parachute Arditi Battalion' "Peak Moschin") In 1984 the Raider brevet and the corresponding qualification (higher than the Saboteeur qualiication) was introduced. In June, 1992 the unit expanded into a Regiment.
As part of the Divisione Paracadutisti "Folgore" (Parachutist Division "Folgore") — which distinguished itself in African War by defending of Italian positions in North Africa so heroically that Winston Churchill dubbed them 'as fierce as lions' — the 10th Regiment has engaged in numerous post-War exploits.

Organization

The 10th Regiment is part of the Italian Folgore Parachute Division. The 10th itself is made up of the following subunits:

• Compagnia Comando e Supporto Logistico (Command and Logistical Support Company);
• Compagnia Trasmissioni (Communications Company);
• Ufficio OAI (Ufficio Operazioni Addestramento Informazioni, Operations, Training, Information Office);
• 1° Battaglione Incursori "El Alamein" (1st 'Raider' Battalion "El Alamein"), which is composed of:
  • 101°, 102° & 103° Incursori (101st, 102nd & 103rd 'Raider' Companies);
  • Plotone Comando (Command Platoon);
• RAFOS - Reparto Addestramento Forze per Operazioni Speciali (Section for Special Operations Forces Training);
  • Plotone Comando (Command Platoon);
  • BAI (Base Addestramento Incursori, Raiders Training Base);
  • 111° & 112° Compagnie Allievi (111th & 122th 'Students' Companies).

RAFOS

The training section is called RAFOS (Reparto Addestrativo Forze Operazioni Speciali, Special Operations Forces Training Unit).
The Training Unit is a Special Forces battalion-level unit, reporting to the Regiment Commander. It is housed in the "Vannucci" barracks in Livorno, and is constituted by a Command Platoon and by two companies: the 111th and 112th Students Companies, consisting of a Command Platoon and various Students Platoons.

• 111th Company: it is dedicated only to students aspiring to pursue the raiders specific training;
• 112th Company: is dedicated to propaganda, selection, training and OBOS training (Operatore di Base per le Operazioni Speciali, Basic Operator Special Operations).

The primary task of the 111th Company consists of students selection and training of personnel intended to contribute to the operational component of the Regiment, also increasing the preparation of the raiders in specific sectors with special advanced courses of specialization. The secondary tasks include the OBOS selection and qualification also for personnel of Special Operations Forces of all the Armed Forces (but not the National Republican Guard and the MVSN). In addition, there are courses and specialized training for other units of the Army, both in place and by sending them instructors teams.
Finally, the instructors of the 111th Company provide "ad hoc" trainings for the benefit of the civilian personnel who are to be dispatched in countries at risk and for EIAR journalists sent in operational theaters. For them it is prepared a CAC (Conduct After Capture) training module, focusing on the techniques to be adopted in captivity in order to improve the chances of survival. For employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assigned to dangerous locations the training is more extensive and complete, according to the ASAO (Addestramento di Sensibilità Ambienti Ostili, Hostile Environment Awareness Training) scheme, and includes, in addition to CAC training, specific instructions on how to behave on the field, ranging from how to interface with the local population to the use of satellite radio and phones, from driving an SUV with elements of first aid and combat.
The RAFOS organizes directly its own training efforts, based on the instructional objectives established by the Regiment Commander and that result in the development of an annual program. In addition, the Unit sets the minimum requirements for admission in various training modules, to guarantee a final product adhering to the expectations of the operational component.
Instructors are normally appointed periods of 3-4 years, and are selected among commandos of the operational component who are mature and experienced, but still physically valid and in possession of a well-established teaching ability, also gained in the field in international missions. The new instructors attend an appropriate coaching period to fellow experts, allowing them to assimilate the teaching method, developed over decades of experience. Raiders who come back from experiences in operation theatres spend a period at RAFOS to decant the experience and the knowledge obtained to instructors of the training component, thereby ensuring complete adherence between the procedures taught and those actually used in the field.
In addition, the "bottom up" approach (although officially it is an "open top-down" approach) allows each raider to advance ideas and proposals that, if deemed appropriate to meet specific operational needs or to optimize the training process, can become practical working hypothesis to acquire new capacities.

Al termine di questo lungo processo , che ha una percentuale di attrito di circa l’80% rispetto al numero totale degli aspiranti che si presentano alle selezioni per il tirocinio, il personale viene brevettato “Incursore” e va ad alimentare il 1° Battaglione d’Assalto Incursori. Al riguardo è opportuno sottolineare che: il brevetto da incursore è stato istituito con Decreto Ministeriale del 2 maggio 1984. Il conseguimento dello stesso comporta variazione matricolare e, coniugato con l’appartenenza ad un reparto di Forze Speciali (in ottica interforze in quanto, oltre al COFS i reparti di FS sono uno per Forza Armata), dà diritto alla percezione mensile dell’Indennità Supplementare per Incursori (Legge 78/83 art. 9, comma 2) che ammonta al 180% dell’indennità operativa di base, ed all'indennità per Forze Speciali che ammonta a 120 Euro mensili lordi. - See more at: http://www.colmoschin.it/una-volta-incursore.html#sthash.SmGqJ3MD.dpuf