Artist’s rendering of WGS-11+

News

Buckley annual State of the Base

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joshua Hollis
  • Space Base Delta 2 Public Affairs

More than 200 elected officials, civic, and base leaders gathered on Wednesday for Buckley Space Force Base’s third annual State of the Base Address.  This event featured mission and operational updates from Space Base Delta 2 and the installation’s “Big 6” mission partners.  The venue served as a pivotal platform to discuss collective priorities, recent achievements, and areas for advancement within the Buckley regional community.

“Today, we’re not only celebrating an incredible milestone — the 5th anniversary of the United States Space Force – but also taking a moment to reflect on what truly makes Buckley the premier Space base,” said Col. Heidi Dexter, Space Base Delta 2 commander.

According to Dexter, throughout 2024, Buckley’s many accomplishments included a successful Air and Space Force Cyber Resilience Exercise, identifying challenges and eliminating vulnerabilities to critical networks, the execution of $102 million, focused on weapons system infrastructure and quality-of-life projects, and the passage of the Purple Star Initiative.  This initiative, signed into law by Governor Jared Polis, now supports over 44,000 military-connected children, streamlining the transition process of moving schools, increasing staff awareness of the unique needs of military-connected children, and providing resources for academic success and well-being during frequent relocations.

“My daughter, Jalen, is living proof of the impact programs like Purple Star can have,” said Chief Master Sgt. Sharma Haynes, SBD2 senior enlisted airman. With the support of Purple Star programs, her journey is a reminder of why working collectively with our community leaders to advocate on behalf of our military families is so important.”

These examples are just a handful of the many accomplishments of Team Buckley’s ongoing efforts to better enable its global missile warning, intelligence, and cyber operations missions. 

"As you can see, a lot has occurred within the past year, but there’s still more to follow in the years to come," said Dexter. We’re moving forward with key upgrade projects in weapons system infrastructure, force protection, and modernization, while also focusing on initiatives that support our service members and their families."

The State of the Base also highlighted Team Buckley’s remarkable growth over the past year and its substantial contributions to the local economy.  According to Col. Dexter, Team Buckley contributed $2.6 billion to the local economy in 2024 alone – a $50 million increase over 2023. This number reflects a wide range of expenditures, including construction projects, materials, supplies, services, and disbursement of salaries for the installation's workforce.  Furthermore, Buckley has created more than 20 thousand job opportunities as a result of the installation's diverse mission sets.

The address concluded with a reflection on the relationship between Buckley and its surrounding community, underscoring the importance of fostering a shared understanding and partnership.  “I could not be prouder to partner with such an outstanding group. "We could not do what we do every day at Buckley without the partnerships exemplified by those in this room," Dexter commented. "I can’t say thank you enough.”