New Italian instructors spread Reality-Based
Jim Wagner
On June 20th I landed in Bologna, Italy where the Reality-Based Director of Italy, Fabrizio Capucci, was waiting for me. I was there to teach the first Level 2 courses for the first time in that country: Conflict Conditioning, Scenario Training, Control & Defense, Improvised Weapons and Handgun Survival. These courses were taught in the coastal city of Ravenna.
The next day, Sunday, Fabrizio and I went to the Benito Mussolini museum, which is also his birthplace, in Predappio, Italy. “Il Duce” (Italian for The Leader) as he called himself, was the 40th Prime Minister of Italy who eventually became dictator in 1936 ruling the country as a fascist.
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Dovia di Predappio is a small town in the province of Forli, and is known as “Duce’s town.” Although fascist symbols are technically illegal in Italy, they are permitted as souvenirs in store fronts that line the main road of the town. These souvenir shops have large fascist flags at the entrances, and large portraits of Mussolini everywhere. Inside they have hundreds of fascist paraphernalia, books, and even NAZI regalia. It was quite a strange feeling walking into these places. I bought a replica police baton used by Mussolini’s Blackshirts. This was a fascist paramilitary group organized by Benito Mussolini. They used violence and intimidation against Mussolini’s opponents.
The same day, our day off, Fabrizio and I visited the Castle of Brisighella (La Rocca Manfrediana). This was a military fortification that had one of the first indoor shooting ranges in history. Under one of the castle walls is a long corridor where snipers would practice their craft.
Fabrizio and I are opposed to fascist and NAZI ideology, but visited the museum for our own historical education. I found the museum fascinating, and learned a great deal about the man who many believed was reviving the ancient Roman Empire.
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The Level 2 courses were great, because the students were great. Every morning all of the students would stop at the Café San Rocca for their morning coffee and pastries. Each morning I had a large cup of cappuccino and a brioche. We would train hard until lunch time and then return to the café for sandwiches and pasta. In the evening I’d have wonderful Italia meals with Fabrizio and his wife.
Those who earned their Level 2 instructor certification were Andrea Borsetti, Paolo Vezzali, Manuel Frati, Davide Grandolfi, Guglielmo Mannelli, and Renato Lucandri. The first female Reality-Based instructor of Italy, Dr. Patrizia Vitri, came back to take Control and Defense and Handgun Survival. Other men came in to knock off a few of the courses, but could not make all of them.
Level 2 instructor Paolo Vezzali served as my primary translator and Nicolas Marucci from Belgium came down to Ravenna to assist with teaching. We met to discuss a future live-fire course in Brussels in the near future. Nicolas is a security specialist and was certified by me as a Level I and II instructor in Paris, France.
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During most of my trip the weather was overcast and even rained one day. However, on Wednesday the weather was absolutely perfect by the afternoon. As soon as class ended Fabrizio, his wife, and I headed to Punta Marina and got a spot on the beach. Fabrizio and I then went swimming for a good 45 minutes in the warm Adriatic Sea. I thought it was warm, since I am used to the cold Pacific Ocean in California, but Fabrizio found it a bit chilly. We then lay out in the warm Italian sun for a while. For me it was a “mini vacation,” and reminded me of home.
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To celebrate a successful seminar Fabrizio and I, joined by Paolo Vezzali, smoked cigars, sipped on rum, and had a few Swiss chocolates after a lasagna dinner followed by gelato.
My new Level 2 instructors came from all points of Italy, and they went back to their own cities to spread their new knowledge. They were the first group in Italy to make props, use stage make-up, learn to write scripts for scenarios, and get a detailed safety course in how to use air guns in scenario training.
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Meeting in Paris
Jim Wagner
I left early morning from Bologna, Italy on Saturday morning the 27th. My Reality-Based Personal Protection Director of Francophone countries, Christophe Besse, picked me up at Charles De Gaulle Airport and I dropped off my bags in my room at the Park Inn hotel nearby.
We then went to the center of Paris and sat outside at a quaint little cafe to discuss future courses in France, Belgium, Luxemburg, and Switzerland. Christophe and I are also working on a future instructor course, determining how current directors and instructors are trained in Reality-Based. After our cheese, bread, and drinks we visited Notre Dame, la Sorbonne, and Le Patheon to get a little exercise and continue our conversation.
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I then took Christophe out to dinner in the Saint Michael quarter where we had a wonderful sushi dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant. We then walked back over to La Cite where the car was parked, and Christophe dropped me back off at my hotel. The next morning I caught my flight to the United States.
I will be teaching a Level 1 course, along with Christophe’s help, at the University of Paris X Nanterre in August. I will be teaching this seminar in the French language, but if any English speakers sign up for any of the courses I will also explain each exercise in English as well.
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