Italian officer makes history, takes command of ENJJPT's operations group

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt Meredith Hein
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Friday's 80th Operations Group change of command marked the first time in the 32-year history of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program that the group's commander is from a country other than Germany.

Italian Air Force Col. Paolo Baldasso took command from German Air Force Col. Eberhard von Wintzingerode-Knorr at a ceremony June 28 at Sheppard Air Force Base.

"The ENJJPT Steering Committee determined that the commander of the operations group will rotate among the partner nations," Baldasso. "This is an excellent opportunity for all the NATO partners to play a role in improving ENJJPT."

The 80th Flying Training Wing Commander, Col. Lance R. Bunch, presided over the ceremony.

"Col. Von Wintzingerode-Knorr bleeds ENJJPT, and I know he will continue to serve this program. He has bonded the partner nations here to create the world's premiere pilot training program," Bunch said.

The commander of the operations group is a representative of one the non-U.S. NATO partner nations with high participation in the program. The operations group provides operational support, flying training, air traffic control and evaluation capabilities for six squadrons.

Baldasso comes to Sheppard from the Italian Air Force Education Command, where he served as the chief of the plans and operations division.

"Col. Baldasso was handpicked from the best in the Italian Air Force to be in this position," Bunch said.

Baldasso has been at Sheppard before, both as a student pilot and an instructor for the ENJJPT Program.

"It's incredible to be here," Baldasso said. "As a student, you are in a different world when you come here. To come back here as the operations group commander is the greatest opportunity I could have hoped for."

In his new role, Baldasso says he hopes to help continue to strengthen the partnership capacity of ENJJPT.

"There is no doubt that the biggest benefit of this program is the multinational and multicultural capacity to train together and to build true partnerships," Baldasso said.

Wintzingerode-Knorr first came to ENJJPT as a student in 1984, returning in 2010 as the operations group commander.

"So much of the program has changed, but it still allows us to work, to train and to educate students under one leadership as equal partners," said von Wintzingerode-Knorr. "We are one team working towards one goal."

Following his departure from Sheppard, he will be the German Air Force Operational Forces Command in the Air Education and training section, responsible for all flying related training in the German Air Force. In addition, he will be the head of the German delegation which attends the ENJJPT Steering Committee meetings semiannually.

"I will miss the people of north Texas," said Wintzingerode-Knorr. "They are a community of great people. It's incredible how they gave us all a home here."