 Women volunteers served in uniform as noncombatants in paramilitary units and police formations ("Servizio Ausiliario Femminile").The commander was the brigadier general Piera Gatteschi Fondelli.Smaller units like the Black Brigades ("Brigate nere") led by Alessandro Pavolini and the Decima Flottiglia MAS led by Junio Valerio Borghese (called ""principe nero"", the Black Prince) fought for the RSI during its entire existence.