By Christopher Tetrault – Hometown Hero Outdoors
The First Salute
We had barely dropped our bags at the Hotel Valamerica in northern Italy when the familiar sight of uniforms caught my eye—officers from Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, the nation’s financial police. They were calm, sharp, and deliberate, preparing for their next assignment: logistics for the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Different country. Different badge. Same posture.
That quiet, watchful professionalism is something you recognize instantly when you’ve lived it. We didn’t exchange words, just nods across the terminal, but something about them stuck with me. I didn’t know it yet, but that first encounter ends up running a bit deeper —not as strangers passing by, but as brothers in uniform.
It was my first reminder that this trip wasn’t just about seeing Italy. It was about connection through service—the kind that crosses borders, languages, and time.
A Tradition of Duty and Service
Italy’s commitment to national service runs deep—older than the republic itself. After unification in 1861, service became a cornerstone of citizenship. Law No. 696, passed in 1862, made it official: able-bodied men had a duty to defend their nation.
That sense of duty wasn’t just law—it was identity. The Italian Constitution later enshrined it in Article 52, declaring that “the defense of the Fatherland is a sacred duty of the citizen.”
For generations, young Italians answered that call. Even those who objected on moral or religious grounds served through civilian substitute service, ensuring that every citizen contributed in some way.
By 2005, Italy transitioned to an all-volunteer force, but the spirit of that mandate—service, pride, and protection—never faded. You can still feel it in every interaction with those who wear a uniform, whether they’re part of the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, or the Alpini.
Old Friends in a New Land – Bosnia 2003–2004
That same respect for service was something I’d seen before—two decades earlier, in a very different landscape.
From 2003 to 2004, I served as part of SFOR 14—the NATO-led Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina—stationed at FOB Morgan in the north. Our mission was peacekeeping: long days, uncertain borders, and helping be present for everyone to find the right balance of peace.
That’s where I met the Carabinieri—Italy’s national gendarmerie. (A unique hybrid force that serves both as military police and civilian law enforcement, blending the structure of the armed forces with the heart of community policing.)
They brought discipline and humor, courage and warmth. We didn’t share a language, but we shared purpose—that unspoken understanding between people who’ve stood watch in dangerous places.
Before leaving, we traded mementos—patches, coins, even my beret. Small gestures, but heavy with meaning. They reminded me that service, no matter the flag, builds bonds that outlast the mission.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Nearly twenty years later, that bond came full circle.
Hometown Hero Outdoors has always been about connection—using outdoor adventure to bring veterans, first responders, and service members together.
One afternoon, my friend and auctioneer Kurt Johnson called with something new. He’d met an Italian family, who had deep roots in northern Italy and ties to California’s wine community. They wanted to partner with us on a series of curated adventures—authentic experiences in parts of Italy most travelers never see.
When most people picture Italy, they think of Rome, Venice, Naples, or the Amalfi Coast. But the couple described another Italy: Alpine valleys, terraced vineyards, and small towns that still breathe tradition.
The idea fit perfectly. Italy’s military heritage runs parallel to our own—from the 34th Infantry Division “Red Bulls” who fought here in WWII, to generations of alliance and friendship. For me, that connection wasn’t abstract—it was personal.
This trip wouldn’t be tourism. It would be a bridge—between history and brotherhood, past and present.
The Legacy of the Alpini
As planning took shape, the wife of the couple shared something that gave the journey even more meaning: her father had served proudly in the Alpini, Italy’s elite mountain warfare unit.
The husbands family carried the same mountain legacy. His fourth cousin, Luciano, told us about his uncle—now 85—who had also served in the Alpini.
Formed in 1872, the Alpini are the world’s oldest active mountain infantry—the first true masters of Alpine warfare. Born to defend Italy’s northern frontier, they fought through freezing peaks and impossible odds, becoming legends of endurance, loyalty, and brotherhood.
Their signature cappello Alpino, with its raven feather, isn’t just a uniform item—it’s a symbol of belonging. Among Italians, that hat means something deeper: you’ve earned your place.
Learning that both Maura and Dominic’s families shared that heritage added a sense of destiny. This trip wasn’t just another adventure; it was a homecoming—a meeting of hearts and histories bound by mountains and service.
Arrival in Italy – Lake Como and the Weight of History
We landed in Milan, the gateway to northern Italy, and began our climb north toward Lake Como.
Our group couldn’t have been better. My wife and I traveled alongside Kurt and Shelly, the friends who first connected us with our Italian friends, joined by two other couples—one with a veteran, the other still serving in the Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division – the Red Bulls.
It felt fitting—Red Bulls on Italian soil again, decades after their predecessors fought here in WWII.
From Milan, we followed the winding western branch of the lake, through villages untouched by time.
Our destination: a villa built between 1904 and 1910, perched above the water like something out of a dream. Each window framed a masterpiece—the lake shimmering below, the Alps standing watch above.
The villa’s beauty was undeniable, but so was its history.
During World War II, it served as a German SS headquarters. Standing there, looking out over that peaceful lake, it was impossible not to feel the weight of what had once been.
Yet the Italians don’t erase their past—they preserve it, to remember and to teach. That honesty was powerful. Even centuries earlier, Roman soldiers had claimed Lake Como as a strategic outpost and retreat. Military history runs through that water like a current—from ancient legions to modern armies.
Northbound – Through Bellagio and Into Valtellina
After our stay on Lake Como, we continued north through Bellagio, a town that feels almost frozen in time. From there we climbed into the Valtellina region, where the air turns crisp and the mountains reach higher with every mile.
Our next stop: the Hotel Valamerica in the Torino–Valtellina area.
Inside the cozy mountain hotel, we spotted the eight Guardia di Finanza officers. They were in one corner of the bar, sharing drinks and quiet laughter. My wife and I sat across the room, unwinding from the road, quietly observing that familiar camaraderie I’ve seen in every law enforcement, first responder profession.
A few minutes later, my wife stepped outside for air and somehow struck up a conversation with one of the officers. Different languages, same human spark. They used a translation app, passing the phone back and forth, smiling and laughing.
She waved me over. Soon I was shaking hands with the officer, sharing that I’d served sixteen years in law enforcement and in the military, and that I’d once worked alongside the Carabinieri in Bosnia. His expression changed instantly—recognition, respect.
As we were saying goodbye, he reached up, tore a patch from his own uniform, and pressed it into my hand.
No words. Just a nod.
It was the same gesture I’d experienced twenty years earlier in Bosnia. The same feeling. A quiet exchange between two people who didn’t need a translator to understand each other.
When he walked away, I looked down at the patch—warm from his sleeve, heavy with meaning. Some languages don’t need words.
To Be Continued…
That night reminded me why we came—to build connections that go beyond geography, to find brotherhood in unexpected places, and to honor the bond between those who serve.
Next time, I’ll share what came after—an unforgettable evening with the Alpini Special Forces, where history, honor, and humanity came together high in the Italian Alps.
Because sometimes, the most powerful stories aren’t written in monuments or medals—they’re written quietly, in handshakes and exchanged patches, between people who simply understand.
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About the Author: Chris Tetrault is a medically retired Minnesota Conservation Officer and veteran of the Minnesota National Guard. With over two decades of public service, he now leads Hometown Hero Outdoors, a national nonprofit supporting the mental health and well-being of veterans, military members, and first responders through outdoor experiences.
