As far back as 1938 when the city of Denver bought and donated land for a planned bombing range east of the city, the property known currently as Buckley Space Force Base, named in honor of Longmont, Colorado, veteran 1st Lt. John Harold Buckley, has left a lasting impact on the citizens of Colorado.
In April of 1942, the then Army Air Corps set aside 5,740 acres of the Buckley Field complex to serve as a schoolhouse for American military aviators. This plot of land was a big deal, operating as America’s largest fighter aircraft armament school and one of the most important technical training schools in the Army Air Forces called AAF Technical Training Command, established in 1943.
The schoolhouse is now merely a blip in history, but its many transitions throughout the first 20 years led to one of the most notable nuggets in National Guard history. Sixty-Five years ago, on April 18, 1960, the parcel of land, known to most simply as Buckley, was redesignated by the U.S. Air Force as Buckley Air National Guard Base, the first stand-alone ANG base in the nation.
“Buckley Space Force Base has played an important role for our nation’s defense over the past 80 plus years,” U.S. Air Force Col. Heidi Dexter, commander, Space Base Delta 2 said. “The base has had many names and military agencies holding command but has always provided a central location within the United States from which to project air and space power.”
Currently, Buckley SFB plays host to both Colorado Army and Air National Guard units supporting Colorado communities and overseas operations almost daily.
“The Colorado National Guard has a long and storied history on Buckley Space Force,” Dexter said. “The partnerships between the Colorado Army and Air National Guard, Space Base Delta 2, and the numerous other units that call Buckley home creates a critical mass of expertise and capability to defend our state, our country, and the American way of life. As each of these units presents their no-fail global missions to our nation’s leaders, Buckley continues to be critical to implementing the National Defense Strategy.”
Around Buckley, citizens of Aurora are serenated by the sounds of freedom when Colorado Air National Guard 140th Wing F-16 Vipers take to the skies, training for overseas missions and supporting local flyovers at notable statewide events. In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, COANG jets flew 230 sorties for a total of 1,149 flight hours.
Since 9/11 when COANG jets policed the skies, the 140th has kept alert fighters on stand-by 24/7/365 as part of Operation Nobel Eagle.
“One of the many 140th Wing missions is Aerospace Control Alert,” U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher Melka, 140th operations group commander said. “Buckley is the only non-U.S. border alert site in the 48 contiguous of the United States. We are the one site able to respond to threats well inside of the U.S. borders. We are also located close to multiple strategic U.S. assets up and down the I-25 corridor from Colorado Springs to Wyoming.”
Buckley is home to more than 1,300 Citizen-Airmen among four Groups and 11 squadrons prepared to answer the call.
Among the many domestic operations the Wing has supported, Airmen from Buckley were activated for the COVID-19 response, the longest in our state’s history, and the extreme cold weather response of 2022.
Globally, over 120 personnel from the COANG deployed in March 2025 as the lead Wing for an Expeditionary Air Base, marking the COANG’s first deployment under this model since its inception in 2023.
“Two additional missions within the Wing are under the 233rd Space Group,” Melka said. Although not located at BSFB these units are tasked with mobile missile warning and space electromagnetic warfare at Peterson Space Force Base. “The 233rd works closely with the U.S. Space Force’s Mission Delta 3 and Mission Delta 4, co-located at Buckley SFB and under Space Base Delta 2.”
The COARNG force at BSFB is comprised of 27 units and more than 1,200 Citizen- Soldiers.
The rotary wing aircraft of the COARNG make recognizable thumping sounds as their crews train for high-altitude lifesaving operations in addition to supporting global partners.
“The Army capabilities housed on Buckley are strategic to the state of Colorado’s ability to respond to natural or manmade disasters,” said U.S. Army Col. Will Diprofio, 169th Field Artillery Brigade commander. “Buckley Space Force Base is home to both the 8th CST (Civil Support Team) and the 8th CERFP (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package), organizations manned, trained, and equipped to respond to chemical, biological, nuclear or radiological incidents.”
In fiscal year 2024 the crews at Buckley’s Army Aviation Support Facility conducted 15 Search and Rescue operations in the Colorado high country while also deploying units to support operations at the Southwest border.
“The Army aviation, medical, and field artillery units on BSFB additionally provide command and control, medical response, and air assets to Colorado’s domestic operations capabilities,” Diprofio said. “Many of the high-altitude mountain rescues are launched from BSFB.”
The Colorado Joint Counter Drug Task Force, also housed on Buckley, conducted multiple counter drug operations in partnership with state and local law enforcement agencies while the CST provides detection specialists to major sporting events and other large gatherings around the state.
“Much of our domestic operations capabilities live on BSFB and its because of our strong relationship with both our Colorado Air National Guard and Space Force partners that we can respond as quickly as we do to natural or manmade disasters,” Diprofio said. “Our organizations work together to make BSFB a premier location to live, train and operate.
Nearly 450 members of the Field Artillery Brigade have deployed overseas in two separate missions since 2021.
“Both the COANG and Army Aviation have a long history of operating from Buckley. It’s been the long-time launching pad for wildfire response, high altitude mountain rescue, and support to the national defense of our airspace. Those critical missions in themselves preserve the legacy of the Army Air Corps and Buckley Air National Guard Base.” Diprofio said.
COARNG units from Buckley have responded to Hurricane Milton relief efforts in 2024 and during the extreme cold weather response in 2022 alongside their partners in the COANG.
“Continuing to advocate for future follow-on missions for both the 140th Wing and the COARNG will preserve the legacy of the National Guard at Buckley,” Melka said. “Recapitalization of a 5th or 6th generation fighter aircraft is needed due to the aging fleet of our F-16’s. Additionally, standing up of a Space National Guard will continue the legacy of our expertise in the space domain and preserve our wing’s integration with the 460th Space Wing and the Space Force at large.”
With the assistance of community partners in the Buckley Regional Miliary Affairs Council (formerly Aurora Defense Council) the hopeful future of the installation was secured through collaborated efforts with the City of Aurora, Arapahoe County, and the State of Colorado by securing $24 million to purchase and protect over 1,000 acres of land around Buckley.
Additionally, the BRMAC remains actively engaged in the push for F-35 basing at Buckley, executing a multi-layered strategy which includes strategic engagement with military officials, elected officials at city, state and federal levels, including U.S. Senators and Representatives, and public awareness campaigns through monthly meetings, ensuring strong community backing.
“The units on BSFB remain ready to respond to Colorado’s needs and are Always Ready, Always There,” Diprofio said.