Photo By Tech. Sgt. Daniel Farrell | ARCWERX WERXshop participants pose for a group photo at the New York Air National...... read more read more
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FRANCIS S. GABRESKI AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Westhampton Beach, N.Y. — The New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing hosted a three-day workshop to train 23 Airmen in problem-solving and innovation at the Francis S. Grabreski Air National Guard Base, in Westhampton Beach, New York, July 29-31.
Airmen from Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York took part, along with Swedish Air Force members, through New York’s State Partnership Program with Sweden.
The training focused on exercises to identify solutions and implement them at the unit level.
Participants learned to form teams at their home stations to address operational challenges, said Steven McKnew, ARCWERX senior principal project analyst.
They can now serve as facilitators in their units to teach these methods, he said.
“They learn how to engage with leadership to align initiatives with the wing’s mission and the broader strategic goals of the Air National Guard,” McKnew said. “They depart with a comprehensive understanding of the resources available across the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, [Department of War], and state of New York to support and scale innovative solutions.”
Swedish participants highlighted the value of ARCWERX collaboration.
“I was impressed by the structure … the outreach and resources available to foster a culture of innovation within the Guard,” said Ella Carlberg, a Swedish Air Force officer and senior advisor of Homeland Security Affairs at the Swedish Embassy. “ARCWERX is a crucial aspect to building resilience in today’s society and, given the complex security situation, we need to work as allies to build transatlantic security and deterrence together.”
“ARCWERX could be an important platform to develop the bilateral relationship under the State Partnership Program,” Carlberg said.
“This was the first time introducing a state partner to the ARCWERX WERXshop,” McKnew said. “It was a powerful opportunity to work alongside international partners because it broadens our perspective on problem-solving, helping us create solutions that are more interoperable and scalable for global challenges.”
ARCWERX conducts regional training quarterly to teach design thinking, problem curation and innovation tools for unit-level issues, McKnew explained.
One example is the 106th Rescue Wing’s C-130 Virtual Reality Engine Run Trainer program.
“Our partnership with ARCWERX … has advanced our training capabilities,” said Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Beall, 106th Quality Assurance superintendent. “The Virtual Hangar allows supervisors to train members in tasks that previously required aircraft availability.”
The workshop also promoted the SparkCell program, a cross-functional team of Airmen from various backgrounds that drives wing innovation. According to Danny Smith, ARCWERX education manager, SparkCells receive training to partner with academic and industry experts on projects aligned with strategic goals.
“We want to give them the skillsets to run innovation operations at their wing,” Smith said. “We want them to learn the capabilities at their disposal to create projects that modernize and innovate based on strategic imperatives and to feel confident working with industry partners.”
Participants learned that innovation often involves collaboration with military, industry or academic partners to improve existing systems or develop new ones.
“Programs like this connect with industry and resources, which is a force multiplier for us,” said Maj. Brian Monga, a C-17 instructor pilot and chief innovation officer with the 105th Airlift Wing. “One of my key takeaways was collaborating with other SparkCells and leaders across the state to take a regional approach that will amplify our impact.”
Wing-level problem-solving can yield solutions across the Air National Guard and Air Force, according to McKnew.
The course aims to build a creative mindset for local issues while strengthening innovation at every Air National Guard wing, McKnew said. “Our hope is that participants walk away with an understanding of how to develop problem statements that can initiate actionable solutions, as well as a strong understanding of the resources available to them,” he added.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2025 19:58 |
| Story ID: | 553769 |
| Location: | WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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