New Jersey's National Guard has trained 24 soldiers from Albania to become officers.
They graduated from the state's National Guard Officer Candidate School during a ceremony in Lawrence on Tuesday.
Officials say it's the first time a state's National Guard trained foreign military officer candidates under a state partnership program.
The 12-week training took place at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
The Times of Trenton reports Albanian Maj. Ge. Jeronim Bazo told the graduates that it's now their turn to bring need change to their country's armed forces.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
