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 The Associated Press