Weapons mechanic Preston Schaack does routine maintenance on an F-16 at Buckley Space Force Base.
The Buckley Space Force Base generated $2.6 billion of local economic impact in 2024, $50 million more than the impact seen last year, officials said.
The base -- located in eastern Aurora -- celebrated the fifth anniversary of the U.S. military branch's genesis on Jan. 23 with a State of the Base Address, including the presence of 200 elected officials, civic and base leaders.
During the address, Col. Heidi Dexter -- Space Base Delta 2 commander -- announced the economic impact on the local community, noting that the number was due to a "wide range" of expenditures, including construction projects, materials, supplies, services and disbursement of salaries for the installation's workforce, according to a news release from the base.
Buckley has also created more than 20,000 job opportunities in the region.
The base, created in 2021, employs roughly 3,100 active duty members, some 4,000 National Guard personnel and reservists, another 2,400 civilians, and about 2,500 contractors.
"As you can see, a lot has occurred within the past year, but there's still more to follow in the years to come," Dexter said. "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."
Estimates put Buckley's contribution to the local economy at $1 billion a year, with both 2023 and 2024 soaring above those numbers and increasing from the $1.38 billion in impact the base reported in 2022.
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During the address, Dexter commented that the community is a significant part of the base's ongoing success.
"I could not be prouder to partner with such an outstanding group," she said. "We could not do what we do every day at Buckley without the partnerships exemplified by those in this room."
Along with the economic impact, Buckley boasted various accomplishments in 2024 including 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.
The Purple Star Initiative was signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis in 2024 and designates public schools to provide services and support to military-connected students and their families.
The initiative now supports over 44,000 military-connected children, according to Buckley officials.
"My daughter, Jalen, is living proof of the impact programs like Purple Star can have," Chief Master Sgt. Sharma Haynes, SBD2 senior enlisted airman, said. "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."
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