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NJ Army Guard begins historic first Albanian Officer Candidate School

Cadet Renalda Manushi shows another Republic of Albania Officer Candidate how to properly wear hat before the welcome ceremony the 24 cadets May 9, 2014, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff, The Adjutant General of New Jersey, along with the New Jersey National Guard leadership welcome Albanian officer candidates of Albanian Officer Candidate Class 1 at the National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. Albania is the first State Partnership Program country to send its officer candidates to the United States to attend an Officer Candidate School program. The 12-week New Jersey Army National Guard OCS program is modelled after the active-duty program at Fort Benning, Ga., and includes classroom instruction, physical and leadership training. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released)

NJ Army Guard begins historic first Albanian Officer Candidate School

Brig. Gen. James J. Grant, Chief of the Joint Staff, New Jersey National Guard, left, speaks with Republic of Albania Officer Candidate Marjana Kotarja at the welcome ceremony the 24 cadets May 9, 2014, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff, The Adjutant General of New Jersey, along with the New Jersey National Guard leadership welcome Albanian officer candidates of Albanian Officer Candidate Class 1 at the National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. Albania is the first State Partnership Program country to send its officer candidates to the United States to attend an Officer Candidate School program. The 12-week New Jersey Army National Guard OCS program is modelled after the active-duty program at Fort Benning, Ga., and includes classroom instruction, physical and leadership training. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released)

NJ Army Guard begins historic first Albanian Officer Candidate School

Published May 14, 2014
By Kryn P. Westhoven
New Jersey National Guard Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- When you're the first person to accomplish a goal, most folks remember it. Twenty-four officers and enlisted members of the Republic of Albania Armed Forces stepped forward on May 9, 2014, to be the first from their country to complete a National Guard Officer Candidate School (OCS).

The OCS program is being conducted by the New Jersey Army National Guard at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., over the next 12 weeks. It is the first time a state's National Guard will train foreign military officer candidates as part of the State Partnership Program (SPP).

"This is class number one for the United States of America," said Brig. Gen. James J. Grant, Chief of the Joint Staff, New Jersey National Guard. "New Jersey has the opportunity to make history and you all are part of history."

Grant talked about how five Military Advisor Teams of the New Jersey Army National Guard have deployed to Afghanistan with members of the Albanian Armed Forces. Since Albania joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2009, the Teams train the Afghan Army as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force.

This is an outgrowth of New Jersey's mentorship of the Albanian military that began in 2001. The relationship actually goes back two decades when New Jersey Guard legal personnel helped the fledging Albanian government draft its constitution.

"Each and every one of you has shown and displayed determination and desire to come to our nation to learn how we train officer candidates. So you can go back to your nation and make a more proficient military," Grant said. "For that, I salute each and every one of you."

Speaking to the Guard soldiers conducting the training, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno spoke as a mother of an Air Force Academy cadet. "I rely on you to make them the state-of-the-art Soldiers they expect in Albania. So you are the ones that uphold the reputation of the United State in every service," said Guadagno. "You are the ones that truly have the burden of the country on your shoulders."

Just like the active OCS program at Fort Benning, Ga. the cadets will quickly learn varied facets of military operations, leadership; and have their mental and physical abilities strengthen.