On March 11, the Italian Navy's first female strike fighter pilot received her Wings of Gold after completing undergraduate flight training with the "Tigers" of Training Squadron 9 (VT-9) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, Mississippi. Italian Navy Ensign Erika Raballo was designated a Naval Aviator along with five classmates during a small winging ceremony at the base chapel, marking a significant milestone in Italian and U.S. Naval Aviation history, and further strengthening the partnership between the two nations. "We are all incredibly proud of Ensign Raballo," VT-9 Commanding Officer CDR Meghan Angermann said. "She has proven she is a capable, competent warfighter ready to take her strike aviation training to the next level. She and her classmates worked hard to get to this point and what they can and will accomplish in the future is limitless."
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