Our Military Bases
Fort Carson
Since being established in 1942, Fort Carson has grown to an approximate military population of over 18,000 troops covering over 137,000 acres of land south of Colorado Springs. The sole mission of Fort Carson is combat readiness. The post employs many civilians and has excellent interaction with the community by providing helicopter rescue squads, bomb disposal units, and many other free community assistance programs. During World War II, Fort Carson housed prisoners of war and has since been the site for production of several movies. Main Phone Number: 719-526-5811
Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base is located in El Paso County on the east side of Colorado Springs off US Highway 24 and is co-located with Colorado Springs Airport. Activities at Peterson Air Force Base include NORAD, Missile Defense and Development, Air Force Space Command, US Northern Command, Army Strategic Command and Missile Defense Command.
Air Force Space Command, created Sept. 1, 1982, is a major command headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. AFSPC defends North America through its space and intercontinental ballistic missile operations – vital force elements in projecting global reach and global power.
Main Phone Number: 719-556-7321
NORAD
NORAD was established on May 12, 1958 as a joint command between the governments of Canada and the United States. The organization was charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America. The main technical facility has been the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate. On July 28, 2006, military officials announced that NORAD’s day to day operations would be consolidated, for purposes of efficiency, in an ordinary building at Peterson Air Force Base. The mountain will be kept as an ordinary backup , though fully operational and staffed with support personnel should the need arise.
Main Phone Number: 719-556-7321
US Space Command: 719-556-7321
United States Air Force Academy
The combination of a top rated university with military training, the academy was established to be the training ground for future Air Force officers. Out of 13,000 applicants each year, only 1,500 freshmen are accepted. The beautiful grounds of this facility are known as a major tourist attraction for the city of Colorado Springs. It is situated on 18,000 acres of wooded, picturesque land north of the city. The Air Force Academy employs over 6,000 personnel, approximately 2,000 of which are civilians. Main Phone Number: 719-333-1110
United States Northern Command
The Department of Defense established U.S. Northern Command in 2002 to consolidate under a single unified command existing missions that were previously executed by other military organizations. White House photo by Eric Draper The command’s mission is homeland defense and civil support, specifically: Conduct operations to deter, prevent, and defeat threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories, and interests within the assigned area of responsibility; and As directed by the President or Secretary of Defense, provide defense support of civil authorities including consequence management operations. U.S. Northern Command plans, organizes, and executes homeland defense and civil support missions, but has few permanently assigned forces. The command will be assigned forces whenever necessary to execute missions as ordered by the President. Approximately 1,200 civil service employees and uniformed personnel representing all service branches provide this essential unity of command from U.S. Northern Command’s headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO.
Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base is located approximately 10 miles east of Colorado Springs, Colo.
After announcing in early 1981 that a military space systems control facility would be built, Falcon Air Force Station became home to that facility, the Consolidated Space Operations Center. The base was built as the Air Force’s primary satellite control facility, for which Onizuka Air Force Station would serve as backup.
Groundbreaking took place May 17, 1983, and Falcon AFS became a reality. Two years later the 2nd Space Wing was formed, and mission capability from Onizuka AFS began transferring over to Falcon following the base’s activation on Sept. 26, 1985. The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network in October 1987.
On June 13, 1988, Falcon AFS was re-designated Falcon Air Force Base.
Due to Air Force-wide restructuring, the 2nd SW was inactivated and the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, redesignated as the 50th Space Wing, activated at Falcon AFB on Jan. 30, 1992. The 50th Tactical Fighter Wing had inactivated on Sept. 30, 1991, at Hahn Air Base, Germany. Its redesignation and activation at Falcon AFB continued the heritage of a highly decorated unit.
On June 5, 1998, Falcon AFB was renamed Schriever AFB in honor of retired Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, who pioneered the development of the nation’s ballistic missile programs and is recognized as “the father of the United Sates Air Force’s space and missile program.” General Schriever passed away June 20, 2005.
Schriever AFB is home to more than 8,100 military and civilian employees. The base indirectly contributes an estimated $1.2 billion to the local Colorado Springs, Colo. area annually.
640 acres made up of former ranch land east of Colorado Springs, Schriever Air Force Base houses the Consolidated Space Operations Center (CSOC) and provides military satellite control operations. Other operations conducted at Schriever include the Global Positioning System, MILSTAR Satellite control, and the Defense Satellite Communications System. Main Phone Number: 719-567-1110
