Welcome to another issue of our weekly bulletin! Read below for more information about our meeting.
This Week in Rotary
THIS WEEKS MEETING WAS STATE OF THE BASE. THE ANNOUNCEMENTS BELOW ARE WHAT IS COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS
Announcements
Member Linda Witulski announced upcoming events Man Up(2/4/20) and Girls Rising(2/3/20). Each year Rangeview High School pulls all of the 9th grade young men to a location for an event called Man Up, which is a mentoring conference for these young men. I am hoping that many of you can and would like to assist in this event. Many of your fellow Rotarians will be assisting with this program, and I hope others will think about this and email Ryan Sladek (coordinator) to let him know that you would like to participate also.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 4th, from 9:30am - 1:30pm
WHERE: Professional Learning and Conference Center of Aurora (same place as always) - 15771 E. 1st Ave, Aurora 80011
The conference is just a few weeks away so if you can let him know if you are able and willing to help by January 24th would be appreciated.
Member Kimberly Armitage discussed the need for our club to make a decision in support of President Regina Edmondson's nomination for District Governor in 2022-2023. Their are some requirements that our club would need to be involved in concerning supporting and hosting the district conference. Please be sure to attend upcoming meetings for a vote surrounding this area on 1/29.
Member Mike Garcia requested attendance for those on the Top Golf committee on 1/29. For details please reach out to Mike.
Sister Cities left a number of fliers on the tables referring to upcoming events and ongoing fundraisers they have currently going on. Please see link below for all the details.
MEETINGS WILL RESUME ON 1/29/20 AT HEATHER GARDENS RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT STARTING AT 12:15
This week the Rotary Club of Aurora and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce put on the annual State of The Base, which provides insight into the 2019 activities and what is planned for 2020. Colonel Devin Pepper, Commander, 460th Space Wing for Buckley Air Force Base was our speaker. President Regina Edmondson began the meeting introducing many of the city, Aurora Police, and Buckley Air Force Base active and retired officers and civilians, as well as state dignitaries/representatives. She also thanked the table sponsors from First Bank, Aurora Police, Aurora Chamber, Colorado Technical University, City of Aurora, Visit Aurora, and leidos. She also thanked the efforts of members with the Rotary Club of Aurora and Aurora Chamber for their extended efforts in getting this annual event setup.
Stephen Gourley, Chair of the Aurora Chamber Defense Council introduced Colonel Devin Pepper. Colonel Pepper enlisted in the USAF in 1989 and received his commission through Officer Training School in 1996. He served in various positions at the Wing Numbered Air Force, Major Command and Combatant Command levels. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School at Nellis AFB, NV and served as the initial cadre which stood up Air Force Global Strike Command, the Air Force's first Major Command in nearly thirty years. He commanded the Air Force Element Operations Squadron at Royal Air Force Menwith Hill, England and was Chief of Space and Missile Defense Division, Headquarters United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE. Colonel Pepper is a master space operator, senior missile launc officer for the Minuteman III Intercontiental Ballistic Missile weapon system and senior command and control Emergency Actions Controller. He is married to Alicia and they have 2 children.
Colonel Pepper started his presentation thanking all the men and women that support his and other officers at Buckley Air Force Base. He also thanked his lovely wife for all of her support during his years with the Air Force and their many moves. He has been the Commander now for 9 months. Buckley generates $1.3B to the local economy and 5500 on base jobs. Last year marked the first time since the early 2010s that Buckley surpassed the $1 billion impact mark. The base bested its 2018 impact total by nearly $300 million. They have provided $11.4M in construction jobs. Buckley represents each branch of the Armed Services and they have 94 base partners. There are roughly 14K personnel that pass through Buckley on an annual basis.
Just last month, airmen cut the ribbon on a new $10 million arms training facility and firing range. The previous such facility on the base was built in 1985, according to information released by Buckley.
The economic groundswell is slated to continue at Buckley in 2020, Pepper said, thanks in part to the expected construction of a new $34 million operational building to house infrared detection systems.
“We’ll also construct a $5-million large vehicle inspection point and a brand new $5-million visitors gate,” said Pepper, who came to Buckley from Colorado Springs about nine months ago. “Both of these projects will significantly reduce traffic around the base, which I’m sure will be welcome for those commuting to and around Buckley.”
Buckley’s 460th Space Wing, tasked with tracking missile launches the world over, was particularly busy in 2019 due to a 47 percent spike in global missile launches, Pepper said. In total, Buckley missile trackers tallied 940 missile launches and some 30,000 infrared events last year.
Buckley’s operator ground network also monitored U.S. armed forces in Iraq during the recent missile strikes launched from Iran, according to Pepper.
Aurora’s military base remains poised to grow in the coming years as the U.S. military continues to craft a sixth branch of the military known as U.S. Space Force, Pepper said. President Donald Trump in August revamped U.S. Space Command, laying the groundwork for the new force to take shape.
We would like to thank Colonel Pepper for the update and the service of all military members and their families.
To learn more about Buckley Air Force Base please click on the link below.
