Italy

Italy National Military Representative

Lieutenant General Paolo Riccò

Lieutenant General Paolo RICCÒ was born on 4th October 1963, in Torino and he started his military career as a conscript as Carabiniere from September 1983 to September 1984.

In 1984 he joined the Army with the 166th Class of the Military Academy. In 1986 he was commissioned Officer and attended the School of Applied Military Studies in Torino attaining a degree in Strategic Science.

After graduation, in 1989 he was assigned, as Lieutenant, to the 20th infantry mechanized Bn. "Monte San Michele" in Brescia and in 1991 he joined the 5th Parachutist Bn. "El Alamein" in Siena where he served, first as a platoon leader and later as a parachutist company Commander.

In 1993, as Commander of the 15th parachutist company, he was deployed in UN Operation "Restore Hope" in Somalia and in the aftermath of the fighting remembered as "Check Point Pasta" (2nd July 1993) Lieutenant General RICCÒ was awarded with the Bronze Medal for Military Value.

In 1995 he was rated pilot and assigned to the 49th AH Bn. "Capricorno" in Casarsa della Delizia. As UH squadron leader he was deployed in NATO led operations in Bosnia Herzegovina and Albania.

In 1999, Lieutenant General RICCÒ was assigned to the 7th AAvn. Regt. "Vega" in Rimini as S3 and, after a shift in Kosovo, in 2000 he became the Commander of the 25th UH Bn. "Cigno".

In 2003, after the Senior General Staff course at the War College, Lieutenant General RICCÒ was assigned, for a three years tour, to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Germany as SOI 035. With ARRC he experienced an operational tour in ISAF HQ.

In 2006, after his return in Italy, he was posted to the Italian Joint Operational HQ as land operations chief.

In 2008, with the rank of Colonel, he became the Commander of the 5th AAvn Regt. "Rigel" in Casarsa della Delizia and in 2010 the unit, under his command, was deployed to Afghanistan as RC-West AAvn Bn.

After this operation tour, he was assigned to the Army General Staff as chief of operations. In 2013, Lieutenant General RICCÒ was again deployed in Afghanistan as ISAF RC-West DCoS Ops. At the end of this commitment, he became Division "Friuli" CoS in Firenze.

On 16th October 2015, he became the 9th Commander of the Airmobile Brigade, home-based in Bologna.

From 24th March 2017 to 4th November 2021, he held the position of Commander of the Italian Army Aviation and the Army Aviation Brigade in Viterbo.

On 1st December 2021, he became the Deputy Commander of the Italian Military Command of the Capital in Roma.

Since the 9th of October 2022, Lieutenant General Paolo RICCÒ is the Italian National Military Representative in SHAPE - Mons (Belgium).

Lieutenant General RICCÒ is pilot rated on aircraft type NH500, AB206, AB205, A109 and AH129C/D "Mangusta" with the experience of more than 1500 flight hours.

Lieutenant General RICCÒ holds degrees in:

• "Politic Science" at the University of Trieste;

• "Strategic Science" at the University of Torino;

• "International Military Strategic Study" in Roma;

• "Strategic Science Master 2nd level" in Torino, and he also attended;

• Legal Advisor Course at the Higher Institute of Joint General Staff in Roma;

• Operational Plan Course at the NATO School in Oberammergau (DE);

• NATO Senior Officer Policy Course at the NATO School in Oberammergau (DE).

Lieutenant General Paolo RICCÒ is married to Aurelia, they have two sons and he has written two books "I Diavoli Neri" (the true story of the battle of Mogadishu) and "Il gomito del diavolo" (personal experience in Afghanistan).

Major Awards and Decoration

• Bronze Medal for Military Value;

• Gold Cross to the Army Merit;

• Bronze Cross to the Army Merit;

• Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic;

• Mauritian Medal of Merit of Ten Lustra of Military Career;

• Gold Cross with Star for Service Seniority (40 years);

• Gold Medal to the Merit for long military service in Command (20 years);

• Air Force Military Gold Medal for Long Air Navigation (20 years);

• Bronze Medal for Long Parachutist Activity (10 years);

• UN Medal for service in Somalia;

• NATO Medal for service in Albania;