“Pozzuolo del Friuli”: Paratrooper General Nicola Mandolesi hands over command to General Andrea Bertazzo

The change of command ceremony for the Cavalry Brigade “Pozzuolo del Friuli” took place today at the “Guella” barracks in Gorizia. Brigadier General Nicola Mandolesi was succeeded by his peer Andrea Bertazzo, coming from the Army General Staff. The event was attended by the Commander of the Northern Operational Forces, Corps General Maurizio Riccò, the Mayor of Gorizia Rodolfo Ziberna, and numerous civil and military authorities.

General Mandolesi's journey: from Folgore to Pozzuolo

A paratrooper officer, General Mandolesi boasts a past command at the head of the 187th Paratrooper Regiment “Folgore”, a leading unit of the historic Paratrooper Brigade. With this experience, he gained a deep understanding of airborne operations and expeditionary capabilities, which he then made available to the “Pozzuolo del Friuli” Brigade.
During his tenure in Gorizia, the multi-arm Great Unit faced an intense period, culminating with the return from operation “Leonte XXXVII” in Lebanon, a mission in which the brigade operated in a complex context, characterized by sudden changes in the situation on the ground.

Mandolesi's legacy

In his farewell speech, Mandolesi recalled the main stages of the training and operational activities conducted: from achieving full capability within the National Sea Projection Capability, to the commitment at home with the operation “Strade Sicure”, up to the important contribution to the UN mission in Lebanon.
“The real result,” he emphasized, “is that every soldier who served in Lebanon returns home knowing they gave everything, without holding back, and honored the Tricolor, the Country, and the Army, but above all our fallen and wounded, the memory of their sacrifice has been and will always be the guide on the path of duty.”

General Andrea Bertazzo inherits an important legacy. Coming from the Army General Staff, he will lead the “Pozzuolo del Friuli” in a phase where the brigade, with a multi-arm connotation, represents a flexible tool to face both conventional land combat and specialized amphibious operations.

The appreciation of the Armed Force

General Riccò, Commander of the Northern Operational Forces, acknowledged the results achieved by the brigade under Mandolesi's leadership, emphasizing how training, motivation, and a sense of belonging constitute the fundamental pillars for successfully facing any operational scenario.

With this change of command, the “Pozzuolo del Friuli” Brigade continues its mission in the tradition's path and with an eye on future challenges, maintaining that balance between terrestrial versatility and amphibious capabilities that distinguishes it.