Alpini

Alpini
Alpini of the 7th Alpini Regiment
Active	15 October 1872 – present
Country	Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Type	Mountain troops
Size	2 brigades
Part of	Alpine Troops Headquarters
Nickname(s)	Le Penne Nere ("The Black Feathers")
Patron	San Maurizio, celebrated every September 22nd
Motto(s)	Di Qui Non Si Passa! ("From here, no one passes")
Anniversaries	October 15th (date of foundation)
Engagements	First Italo-Ethiopian War Boxer Rebellion Italo-Turkish War World War I Second Italo-Ethiopian War Invasion of Albania World War II War in Afghanistan
Decorations	9 Croci di Cavaliere dell'O.M.I. 16 Gold Medals of Military Valor 22 Silver Medals of Military Valor 5 Bronze Medals of Military Valor 1 War Cross of Military Valor 2 Bronze Medals of Army Valor 1 Gold Medal of Civil Valor 1 Bronze Medal of Civil Valor 1 Silver Cross for Army Merit 1 Cross for Army Merit.
Commanders
Notable commanders	Luigi Reverberi

The Alpini are the Italian Army's specialist mountain infantry. Part of the army's infantry corps, the speciality distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. Currently the active Alpini units are organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinate to the Alpine Troops Headquarters. The Alpini's name comes from their inceptive association with the Alps, the mountain range that Italy shares with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. An individual soldier of the Alpini is called Alpino.

Established in 1872, the Alpini are the oldest active mountain infantry in the world. Their original mission was to protect Italy's border with France and Austria-Hungary. In 1888 the Alpini deployed on their first mission abroad, in Africa, a continent to which they returned on several occasions and during various wars of the Kingdom of Italy. During World War I they fought a three-year campaign on the Alps against Austro-Hungarian Kaiserjäger and the German Alpenkorps in what has since become known as the "War in snow and ice". During World War II, the Alpini fought alongside the Axis forces primarily in the Balkans Campaigns and on the Eastern Front.

During the Cold War the Alpini formed five brigades, which during the 1990s were reduced to two.