Photo By Mark Olsen | Base commander Albanian Air Force Lt. Col. Flamur Hoxha, right, escorts New Jersey...... read more read more
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TIRANA, Albania - Through the State Partnership Program, New Jersey’s Citizen Airmen and Soldiers have travelled to the Republic of Albania to train their counterparts. In turn, Albania has sent Soldiers and Airmen to New Jersey to receive specialized training.
This time, members of the New Jersey Air National Guard – Lt. Col. Richard Reitberger and State Command Chief Master Sgt. Michael Francis, with the New Jersey Joint Force Headquarters – Air and Master Sgt. Anthony Boccelli, a firefighter with the 177th Fighter Wing, visited Albania Sept. 19-23, 2010.
“The State Partnership Program is an exchange of ideas among equals and will continue to be a benefit for both Albania and New Jersey,” said Reitberger.
The mission’s focus was on joint Air Guard – Albanian Armed Forces training, combined officer/non-commissioned officer training and wildfire prevention – an issue important to arid Albania.
The Air Guard team met with Col. Arqile Kokedhima and Lt. Col. Halil Kucama, commanders of the Training and Doctrine Command and the Noncommissioned Officer Academy respectively. Providing the Albanian input on overall NCO training was Albanian Armed Forces Command Sgt. Maj. Proletar Panxha.
Discussion centered on education, the possibility of New Jersey sending over instructors and combined training for officers and NCOs at the schoolhouse. The Air Guard contingent toured the schoolhouse during which, Reitberger and Francis addressed a classroom of newly minted NCOs.
Driving to Tirana International Airport, the team met with Rinas Air Base commander Col. Raqi Qarri whom Boccelli presented a binder of materials that he had prepared based on his experiences preventing and combating wildfires at Warren Grove Range.
The Jersey Guardsmen then drove to Farke Air Base, where they met with base commander Col. Frederik Beltoja and toured the newly completed control tower and fire station, as well as saw additional new construction at the base.
The next day Reitberger and Boccelli attended wildfire meetings at the Interior Ministry while Francis traveled with Panxha to Kucova Air Base to meet with the base commander Col. Flamur Hoxha who spoke about his wildfire concerns and how they could impact the base’s mission.
Despite the visit’s short duration, the team was able to identify numerous potential unit and individual training missions, as well as other needs that the Office of Defense Cooperation and possibly New Jersey might be able to address.
| Date Taken: | 09.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2016 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 187584 |
| Location: | TIRANA, AL |
| Web Views: | 312 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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