FOR RELEASE: Thursday, March 21, 2024
CONTACT: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Taylor Lakey-Tamacori, 720-250-3703, taylor.l.lakey-tamacori.mil@army.mil
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Colorado National Guard’s 100th Missile Defense Brigade and U.S. Northern Command Mobilization Element will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction a new homeland defense and civil support readiness center at 10:00 a.m., March 22, 2024, at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The groundbreaking marks the beginning of a long-awaited facility designed specifically for units critical to homeland defense and civil support that have existed for about two decades.
Talks began nearly five years ago but due to inflation of costs for labor and materials during the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility could not be built for the initial appropriation of $15 million.
“For over 20 years, the 100th Missile Defense Brigade has defended the homeland and ensured global stability as the world's only capability to defeat the threat of incoming nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles in mid-flight,” U.S. Army Col. Joseph Paladino, commander, 100th MDB said. “This groundbreaking marks a significant milestone for our commitment to enhancing national security and defense capabilities.”
The National Guard Bureau initiated an Above Threshold Action and sent it through the Army, Department of Defense, and then to Congress which approved the additional funds required to award the $22 million-construction project. U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is the Higher Headquarters for the 100th.
The new readiness center will be a cost-effective upgrade for the MDB whose Soldiers are currently utilizing a contracted commercial building off post.
The U.S. NORTHCOM MOB Element will join the MDB in the new facility. The element integrates CONG expertise into designated staff positions at NORTHCOM to assist with planning, organizing, and executing homeland defense and civil support missions.
“The new brigade headquarters building will serve as a beacon of excellence, supporting our men and women who work tirelessly to protect our nation,” Paladino said. “The state-of-the-art readiness center will provide the brigade with tools and resources to enhance efficiency, mission readiness, and operational security, ensuring more effective execution of our homeland defense mission.”
The MDB is the Army’s only missile defense brigade and the only unit tasked with defending the homeland against Intercontinental Ballistic Missile attacks. It’s an integral part of Colorado’s military space enterprise.