Two Italian Armed Forces

[furret404]

Typical FAI Advertisement, circa 2077 AD.


Although coming in at the end of the Cold War Era, the poster is more reminiscent of the World Wars, the 'glory days' of the Kingdom. The slogans at the top represent the nationalist, fascist tendencies and traditions of the military. The women sketched in an animated but detailed fashion represent a two-fold purpose: the first being to persuade males to join by showing attractive women wearing enviable uniforms. The second is to draw in females by showing what they could be if only they enlisted. Needless to say, these posters worked, well, as well as it could anyways, as recruitment shifted to being spread via posters to via media. Banners such as these, albeit usually with real life or computer drawn figures, are now found as internet ads and television commercials.

Perhaps the largest irony is that most advertisements are for Army or Support positions, when in reality most enlistments will be directed to the Navy and Airforce.

Contrammiraglio Carlita Catogna, circa 2119

The shining example of NEWFA politics, but from the military. The illustrious Ms. Catogna is the first female Contrammiraglio (Rear Admiral), the first Italiani Misti Contrammiraglio, and the youngest Contrammiraglio in the 250~ year history of the Italian Navy. Dedicated, focused, and habitually overworked, there was a lot of promise for her throughout her schooling and career, but no one expected her to make it this far, and it appears that she will make it farther. Whether the Navy wants it or not, though it at least seems that it does, she is the media's and the publics darling and the face of not just the Italian Navy, but the can-do attitude that many Italians have. Just a generation ago, she may not have been able to reach her goals due to racist and sexist discrimination, but now she is leading the country. The question is, will she buckle under the pressure of leading a new age?

[furret404]

Current Military Policy:

No Conscription
Limited Recruitment
Women Serve (No Submarine Service, No Frontline Army Service, No Space Service)
Loyalty/Quality over Race


Military Composition:

With the armed forces concentrated mostly in the Navy and Airforce with some exceptions, this has resulted in a military that is very cost efficient with manpower in a well populated country. This has resulted in not just conscription being a rarity outside of large-scale war, but recruitment being a rarity too. Indeed, the military has to regularly limit new intakes, and has to balance the commonality of being rejected from entering service without discouraging the populace from signing up, a balance not easily kept.

This policy of limited size and intakes has also resulted in anyone in service who even remotely enjoys serving staying in service as long as possible, because once they leave they may never be able to return. This results in a military that is chock full of veterans, which is good for a well experienced military, but has trouble changing hands from generation to generation. For example, many racial and gender restrictions have been lifted several years ago, but these groups are only just now managing to enter the military in decent numbers.

[furret404]

Esercito delle Due Italie

EDI




Artist's Depiction of the Ground Fire Incident during Maltese Legion Training Exercises, 2044

The Italian Army, usually being overshadowed by the other branches, is the black sheep of the Italian Armed Forces- female enlistment stagnant, accommodating to regionalist units, accustomed to the various terrains within the Empire, and usually operating with air support close by. It is modern in formation, tactics, and equipment, but backward in tradition. Despite its flaws, it has proven successful in protecting Italian security and interests in most conflicts Italy has entered since the 1840's Risorgimento.

The size of the Italian Army, however, is another matter. Being actually smaller than the Navy, the Army is an anomaly not just within Italy but a rarity abroad. Despite its relatively small size, the army should not be scoffed at. Well trained and well equipped, the army is still more than capable of taking action, and poses a threat if it increases in size or cooperates with other forces. if Italy bothered to conscript, or hell, even increased recruitment, they could bring hell back to Earth. However the peacetime funding of the military was instead funneled into the Navy and Airforce.  

This branch wasn't the best to start with but who cares I'm going to post about the others later anyways.

Other Branches:
Missile Command
Armored Force
Air Force
Navy