NJ National Guard training Albanian soldiers

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey’s National Guard is training 24 soldiers from Albania to become officers.

Officials say it’s the first time a state’s National Guard will train foreign military officer candidates under a state partnership program.

The 12-week training is taking place at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

Brig. Gen. James Grant says his forces have a long history with Albania. Grant says members of the New Jersey National Guard helped the Albanian government craft its constitution some 20 years ago and troops have deployed to Afghanistan with Albanian forces.