Air Marshal Balbo strongly backed the idea of parachute training. According to German sources, the Italians first used large parachute infantry units in their maneuvers at Gefara, Libya, in 1937. The main Italian training center at that time was Castel Benito airdrome near Tripoli. The training of native troops in Libya did not prove very worthwhile. A training center, at all events, was opened in metropolitan Italy at Tarquinia. Units for the latter school were raised from Italian volunteers.