Mission of Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado continues to evolve

The sound hasn't changed much over the decades at Buckley Space Force Base, the rumble of jets cutting through Colorado skies. But the mission has certainly transformed.

"As Denver has grown, so has Buckley and the mission surrounding Buckley," said Lt. Col. James Reeman, a retired pilot with the Colorado Air National Guard.

Long before satellite tracking and missile warning systems, Buckley was a training ground for U.S. forces preparing for World War II. Established in 1941 as Buckley Field, the base quickly became a cornerstone of military readiness in Colorado.

"We've literally seen the fingerprints of the men and women who served all the way back in World War II when Buckley when was first being called upon to serve our nation," Reeman said.

Those fingerprints span generations — and continents.

In 1960, Buckley became the nation's first stand-alone Air National Guard base, housing the 140th Air Defense Wing. Just years later, that unit would play a historic role in the Vietnam War.

The Colorado Air National Guard became the first Guard unit deployed to a combat zone since World War II, sending roughly 900 airmen to Phan Rang Air Base.

"The citizen soldiers of Colorado served primarily originally in an aviation capacity," Reeman said.

Those airmen flew thousands of combat missions. And in 1969, when many returned home to Buckley, the moment was captured by CBS Colorado, then KOA News.

The footage shows the family running to their airmen, capturing emotional moments of relief and reunion. It was a defining moment for the base and the families connected to it.

That legacy still shapes Buckley today.

"We fly about four days a week, plus our drill weekends, which is unique to the Guard," said Col. Christopher Melka, commander of the 140th Operations Group.

The modern Guard mission balances civilian careers with military readiness, responding not only to overseas threats but to emergencies at home.

"Fires, floods, things like that that we've all seen in Colorado," Melka said.

At the same time, the base plays a key role in national defense.

"We have a 24/7/365 homeland defense mission that we've been on task with since 2001, since Sept 11," Melka said.

In recent years, Buckley's role has expanded even further — beyond the skies and into space. The installation was redesignated as Buckley Space Force Base in 2021, becoming one of the first bases under the newest branch of the U.S. military.

"If a missile launches anywhere in the world, the first people to know are right here on this base," said Col. Eamon Murray, commander of Space Base Delta 2.

Murray oversees operations that include missile warning systems and coordination with other military branches — missions that run nonstop.

"The space missions are there to protect and defend our joint service members around the world, 24/7/365," Murray said.

From combat missions overseas to real-time monitoring of global threats, Buckley's scope continues to grow.

"I can say that we're going to continue to work with the local community to figure out the best way to move Buckley forward. I think the Space Force is going to continue to grow," Murray said. "We've seen a lot of messaging on that from DC, and so we're excited for the opportunity to grow the missions here at Buckley."

Even as its mission expands into space, Buckley remains deeply connected to its home in Colorado.

"The domestic response in Colorado is very important," said Reeman. "I think there will be a growing significance for ways that we provide domestic response. We just went through a winter without much moisture, and so the risk of fires increases, and our state forces provide that response. The ability to augment those with military from citizens of Colorado is truly something our state is going to rely on."

From war zones to watchful eyes in orbit, Buckley's history continues to evolve — rooted in the past, defined by the present, and looking toward the future.