Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Schwenk | U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Justin Harris-Bennett, an instructor with the 2nd Battalion,...... read more read more
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Nine New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers became the first graduates of New Jersey’s inaugural Small Unmanned Aircraft System Master Trainer Course at the Joint Training and Training Development Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Aug. 11, establishing a new capability to expand unmanned aircraft expertise across the force.
Conducted by the 2nd Battalion, 254th Regional Training Institute, the two-week pilot course prepared experienced SUAS operators to return to their units as instructors, evaluators, and program managers capable of building and sustaining unit-level unmanned aircraft programs.
Unlike the Army's basic SUAS Operator Course, which teaches Soldiers how to safely fly and employ these systems, the Master Trainer Course prepares experienced operators to become instructors and advisors for their units.
“When a soldier completes the basic operator course, they are just drone operators for their respective unit,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Justin Harris-Bennett, the SUAS Master Trainer Course Manger with the 2-254th RTI. “Yes, that is a critical role, but being a Drone Master Trainer gives you the skills to assist the commander with integrating drone assets into current unit training to enhance their readiness and modernize our current fighting posture.”
When the graduates return to their commands, they are qualified to certify new operators, manage training programs, advise commanders on system employment and help build local SUAS programs.
“The most valuable part in taking this course for me was building a community of master trainers across the state to support one another and implement SUAS training into our units,” said Staff Sgt. Mason Brooks, a student in the course from Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 102nd Cavalry Regiment.
For the New Jersey Army National Guard specifically, having this course is valuable in developing our future. As part of the Army’s “Transforming in Contact” initiative, the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will be transferring into a Mobile Brigade Combat Team, which will introduce modernized UAS into the formations.
“We just increased our master trainers, which will be critical for the MBCT transformation,” Harris-Bennett said. “Having more master trainers we can beable to create new operators at a faster pace, which allows commanders to have more options on the battlefield.”
This course was only the second National Guard instructed SUAS Master Trainer Course, after the Tennessee National Guard a month earlier, which now includes a section on domestic operations.
“The students learned how complex it is to fly and utilize drones, specifically here in New Jersey,” Harris-Bennett said. “Whenever the National Guard is activated, we want to make sure our Soldiers are ready and trained on all equipment including drones that could benefit our local law enforcement.”
After years of preparation, working along with the National Guard Bureau, and U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, the 2-254th RTI plans to hold its next SUAS Master Trainer Course in the third quarter of fiscal year 2027.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2026 13:41 |
| Story ID: | 574095 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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