Lieutenant Junior Grade - Ministry of Defence

In this chapter of my #WorkExperience, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my years in uniform: from tactical rescues in the snow to digitalizing military units and leading national campaigns.

Between 2013 and 2017, I proudly served in the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross with the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade, wearing multiple hats—Combat Life Saver, Project Manager, and Communications Manager.

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Table of contents

1. Ministry of Defence

2. My Role as Lieutenant Junior Grade

3. Combat Life Saver

4. Project Manager

5. Communications Manager

6. Achievements

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MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Military Corps of the Red Cross's logo.

The Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross (CMVCRI) is a special volunteer unit operating as an auxiliary of the Italian Army.

I served in the North-East Deployment Core of Verona, with active duties in Padua and Venice, both in the Enlistment and Promotional Activities Divisions.

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My Role as Lieutenant Junior Grade

Think of me as a Swiss army knife in uniform: my responsibilities shifted depending on the mission. Over my 3 years and 9 months of service, I operated in three primary capacities:

• Combat Life Saver

• Project Manager

• Communications Manager

Let’s break them down.

Italian Red Cross army officer, Alberto Carniel, on Cavour aircraft carrier

Alberto Carniel is running for the Italian Red Cross during the "Run for children" competition

Military Corps of the Red Cross private inside a tactical ambulance

Military Corps of the Red Cross private and a Romanian police officer

Italian Red Cross army private riding a snowmobile

World Word II cannon with two Italian militaries

Two Italian Red Cross army officers with sabers and camouflaged uniforms

Soldier being ordered to go to a mission: "Search and destroy"

Military Corps of the Red Cross private in Passo Rolle mountains (Italy)

Italian Red Cross volunteers with bicycles during the event: "Due passi per la vita"

Militaries on a bus during the "Operational readiness" course

Italian Red Cross army officer with saber during a formal training

Italian Red Cross army mountain rescue training course

Group photo of volunteer nurses and an Italian Red Cross private

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COMBAT LIFE SAVER

I spent the first two years of my service as a Combat Life Saver, operating within a tactical ambulance unit at the 7th Health Core of Verona. This role required in-depth medical training and on-the-ground emergency intervention. Here's a breakdown of the key certifications I earned:

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Alberto Carniel, a private of the Military Corps of the Red Cross, is performing a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This first aid training is mandatory in the Italian army.

🏥 European First Aid Certificate

A foundational qualification that introduced me to the core of emergency medical response in line with EU standards.

• Duration: 2-week intensive course

• Format: Daily theoretical lessons and practical simulations

• Focus areas: CPR, airway management, bleeding control, trauma response

• Trainers: Certified medical professionals from the Italian Red Cross

This course laid the groundwork for acting quickly and effectively in health emergencies—both in civilian and military scenarios.

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⚡ Basic Life Support & Defibrillator Use (BLS-D)

A high-stakes certification that enabled me to operate automatic and semi-automatic defibrillators in life-threatening situations.

• Duration: 2-day course + final hands-on test

• Skills acquired:

  • Cardiac arrest recognition

  • CPR techniques

  • Safe defibrillator application

  • Scene safety and team coordination

This certification is valid for two years and must be regularly renewed. It authorized me to perform defibrillation in public and military emergencies, helping save lives before medics arrived on scene.

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🚑 First Aid and Patient Transportation Technician (P.S.T.I.)

The most comprehensive qualification I earned, transforming me into a professional ambulance technician under the Red Cross system.

• Length: 6-month program

• Structure:

  • 1 part theoretical (anatomy, emergency procedures)

  • 1 part practical training (hands-on device use)

  • 1 part supervised traineeship (60+ hours) aboard real ambulances

• Key topics covered:

  • Use of emergency medical devices (K.E.D., neck braces, bag valve masks, gurneys, ECG monitors)

  • Rescue protocols for burns, fractures, poisonings

  • Pediatric BLS (PBLS) and adult emergency care

  • Transport protocols and patient stabilization techniques

Alberto Carniel, a Lieutenant Junior Grade of the Military Corps of the Red Cross, is teaching how to treat sudden illnesses and illnesses for environmental reasons at Chinotto barracks (Vicenza, Italy).

Only after passing midterm tests could I begin fieldwork under a senior technician. The course ended with a final exam judged by a Red Cross commissioner.

Each of these certifications was not just a checkmark—it became critical during real deployments, from mountain rescues to war-zone simulations. These programs shaped my identity as a reliable and field-ready Combat Life Saver.

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Rescue on Snow-Covered Terrain ❄️

One of the most unique and demanding parts of my training was the Education and Training for Rescue on Snow-Covered Lands—a 3-week specialized program held at the Cimon Barracks in Passo Rolle, the historic training base of alpine rescue troops.

This course was led by military medics, alpine guides, and certified ski instructors, and aimed to prepare soldiers for emergency interventions in extreme winter conditions.

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Alberto Carniel, in the front, and another soldier of the Military Corps of the Red Cross are performing a mountain rescue with the Akia in Passo Rolle (Italy).

🛷 Mountain Rescue & Akia Sled Operations

A major part of the course was focused on tactical ski rescue, especially the use of the Akia—a rigid sled designed to safely transport injured people on snow and ice.

• Learned to operate and maneuver the Akia on steep slopes

• Practiced stabilization and loading of patients during simulated mountain incidents

• Integrated medical rescue skills with alpine transport procedures

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🧭 Orienteering & Survival in Extreme Conditions

Alberto Carniel, a private of the Military Corps of the Red Cross, on a chairlift in Passo Rolle (Italy).

In the mountains, GPS isn’t always your best friend. That’s why this training emphasized manual navigation and survival tactics.

• Orienteering in whiteout and storm conditions

• Reading snow terrain and identifying avalanche zones

• Planning safe routes without relying on digital tools

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🏔️ Snowmobile Rescue

Italian Red Cross army private riding a snowmobile during alpine rescue training.

Probably the most adrenaline-fueled part of the course: mastering snowmobile operations in rescue missions.

• Hands-on driving practice on different snow types

• Safety drills for avoiding rollovers and collisions

• Emergency maneuvering techniques under pressure

Snowmobiles are incredibly powerful—and dangerous if misused. This training ensured we could handle them both safely and effectively.

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🥾 Snowshoe (Racchette da Neve) Rescue

Not every rescue site is accessible by skis or vehicles. In deep or narrow terrain, we relied on snowshoes to move quickly and efficiently.

• Learned proper technique for snowshoeing with rescue equipment

• Navigated dense forests and steep, unstable slopes

• Practiced patient retrieval and evacuation on foot

This training pushed the boundaries of physical endurance and adaptability.

It taught me how to combine alpine mobility with medical intervention, often in zero-visibility and sub-zero conditions.

And yes, there were moments I felt like I was training for a winter special ops unit—because we sort of were.

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Project Manager

From 2013 to 2015, I served as a Project Manager at the Enlistment and Promotional Activities Division of the Military Corps of the Red Cross in Padua.

My mission?

Designing and launching public service initiatives that blended creativity, health education, and social impact.

Here are the three most notable projects I led:

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👔 Tie Your Tie – 2014

Front page of the Italian Red Cross "Tie Your Tie" project's flyer. The medical doctor is Carlo Salvò, the young Red Cross volunteer with a tie tied on is Barbara Polato, the ambulance technician is Alex Pavan and the private of the Military Corps of the Red Cross is Alberto Carniel.

An anti-alcohol campaign disguised as a social experiment.

The idea was simple: if you’re too drunk to tie a tie, you’re too drunk to drive.The execution? Less simple—but incredibly effective.

• Concept and branding: I developed the project name, strategy, and communication materials from scratch

• Engagement: Red Cross volunteers approached young people outside clubs and bars, asking them to tie a tie

• Education tool: The tie became our “Trojan horse” to start conversations about alcohol abuse, using breathalyzers, questionnaires, and alcohol-vision goggles

• Peer-to-peer model: All operators were under 32, in line with Red Cross youth education strategy

• Schools: The campaign later expanded into high schools through interactive workshops

🎖 Award: The project won a €1,600 public health grant, beating 30+ institutional proposals.

Italian Red Cross volunteers carry out the Tie Your Tie anti-alcohol campaign.

Alberto Carniel speaks in Piazza delle Erbe (Padua) about his anti-alcohol project, Tie Your Tie.

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🦍 Gorilla – 2015

Front page of the Gorilla project's flyer. Gorilla is a project that promotes fitness, wellness and a healthy lifestyle to Red Cross and Military Corps of the Red Cross volunteers.

A wellness program targeting obesity and unhealthy lifestyles among Red Cross staff.

For once, the Red Cross became the recipient of help.

Gorilla flipped the script: instead of aiding the public, it supported the well-being of volunteers, nurses, and military personnel.

The 4 pillars of Gorilla:

1. Nutritional education: Two lessons with a dietitian covering healthy eating, medical risks, and nutrition trends

2. Motivational coaching: A workshop led by a certified life coach to challenge limiting beliefs and build lasting motivation

3. Personalized dietary sessions: 1-on-1 consults with a professional nutritionist

4. Physical training: Weekly sport sessions at the North Military Sports Center, led by two personal trainers

• I created the project, secured approval from command, and recruited expert partners

• I managed logistics, communications, and team coordination

• Results were measured through before-and-after lifestyle questionnaires

📣 This was one of the first Red Cross programs to focus on volunteer health as a strategic priority, aligning with the organization’s 2020 vision: “Persons in first person.”

Paola Tambuscio leads a group coaching session during the Gorilla project.

Group fitness session with trainer Alessandro Pizzigolotto during the Gorilla project.

Group photo of some of the Red Cross Gorilla project's participants.

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⚖️ Do No Harm – 2015

Flyer's front page of the "Do No Harm" conference.

A conference on conflict-sensitive development cooperation.

The idea behind “Do No Harm” is that even well-intentioned aid can destabilize fragile regions, if not executed carefully.

• I wrote, produced, and launched the event in Padua, targeting Red Cross staff and volunteers interested in development work

• We discussed the unintended consequences of humanitarian aid in conflict zones

• Speakers included experts in economics, international cooperation, and humanitarian policy

• I curated the theoretical framework based on the works of Dambisa Moyo, William Easterly, and Hernando De Soto

☕ The event was sponsored by Altro Mercato, which also provided the post-panel coffee break for attendees.

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Each of these projects sharpened my skills in campaign design, stakeholder management, logistics, and public speaking.

More importantly, they gave me a way to bridge creativity and public service—a habit I’ve kept ever since.

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COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

In the final stage of my service (2015–2017), I was appointed Communications Manager for the Enlistment and Promotional Activities Division of the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross in Padua and Venice.

This role placed me at the intersection of military protocol, public relations, and internal communication.

Key Responsibilities:

• Managed all external communications on local, regional, and national levels

• Led the Corps' social media presence, newsletters, and public-facing content

• Oversaw PR during major parades, ceremonies, and national military events

• Handled internal communications between multiple offices in the North-East Deployment Core

• Supervised the production and promotion of Red Cross campaigns and events

Highlights:

• Built media campaigns to support youth recruitment and public health initiatives

• Strengthened relationships with local institutions and civil society organizations

• Coordinated with military leadership and Red Cross command to ensure message consistency

• Supported project visibility for Tie Your Tie, Gorilla, and Do No Harm

This position allowed me to fine-tune my skills in public relations, crisis communication, storytelling, and institutional branding—and taught me how to get a message across even when you're surrounded by uniforms and hierarchy.

Want to bring this level of operational precision, creativity, and leadership to your next project?

Let’s connect and make it happen.