Based in Aurora, Colorado, Danielle Jurinsky is a longtime entrepreneur, Air Force veteran, and city council member whose professional and civic background connects directly to the defense importance of Buckley Air Force Base. During her nine years of service in the US Air Force, much of which she spent stationed at Buckley, she gained firsthand exposure to the installation’s role in national security and community development. As a business owner and local representative, she has continued to support policies that strengthen public safety, economic stability, and military partnerships. Drawing on experience in municipal committees, real estate, and operating multiple restaurants, Jurinsky brings a practical understanding of how military investments impact Aurora’s workforce and long term growth. Her perspective underscores the ongoing relevance of Buckley AFB’s evolving mission.
The Defense Role of the Buckley Air Force Base
The Buckley Air Force Base (AFB) in Aurora, Colorado, hosts the 460th Space Wing (SW). The air force base represents one of America’s vital defense assets, helping to maintain combat deployable aircraft, infrared-detection satellite operations, and space-based missile warning systems.
In 1938, the City of Denver acquired an initial land parcel, which enabled the creation of Lowry Army Airfield, an ammunition depot, and an auxiliary bombing range. The War Department changed the name to its present one in 1941 to honor First Lieutenant John Harold Buckley, a World War I pilot from Longmont. Stationed in France, he lost his life in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The following year, the Army Air Corps launched a technical school that provided fighter armament training. From 1943, the base hosted the 460th Bombardment Group.
Next, in the 1950s, the base achieved recognition as home of the “Minute Men,” a precision flying team of the Air National Guard. In 1966, the 460th Bombardment Group served as the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW). Units from Buckley deployed to the Vietnam conflict in 1968, marking the first Guard units to enter a combat zone since World War II. The RF-101 Voodoo recorded visual and photographic data on hostile forces. The next-generation RF-4C Phantom II aircraft featured a lengthened nose section outfitted with mapping radar, cameras, and infrared imaging equipment.
The Army began constructing a groundbreaking aerospace data facility and, in 1970, launched its first Defense Support Program (DSP) missile-warning satellite. The highly classified facility is a centerpiece of the nation’s early warning network and has launched dozens of reconnaissance satellites within the defense constellation. These have a multifaceted role in detecting spacecraft and missile launches, as well as nuclear explosions, and keeping the homeland safe.
Interestingly, the ADF and DSP operations center has long featured distinctive white geodesic radomes designed to house communications relay dishes. Known as “the giant golf balls” by locals in the Denver region, the operators denied the existence of the classified facility for years. It changed in 1996, when members of the press finally had the chance to take a tour, and the mission of the base became public.
Buckley AFB has expanded over the decades and presently hosts 3,500 active-duty members from across the various branches of the military, as well as 4,000 reservists and National Guard members. Additionally, supporting 2,500 contractors and 2,400 civilians, Buckley AFB contributes approximately $2.5 billion to the local economy annually.
One vital element of the base beyond satellites is the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard. This unit faced a crossroads in 2023, as it considered how to replace and upgrade an aging fleet of F-16s nearing the end of their useful lifespan. Options ranged from introducing later-generation F-16s to bringing in state-of-the-art F-35 aircraft. Among the prominent advocates of procuring new F-35s is Aurora, Colorado, councilwoman and business owner Danielle Jurinsky, who once supported runway operations at the base.
Jurinsky argues that the fighters at the base, along with their experienced Air National Guard pilots, are mission essential, as noted in an op-ed in The Gazette. They have seen combat deployment in theaters such as the Middle East. They are also one of the first fleets to scramble into action should an attack on the territorial United States occur.
About Danielle Jurinsky
Danielle Jurinsky is an Aurora based entrepreneur and city council member with a background that includes nine years of service in the US Air Force, much of it spent at Buckley Air Force Base. She owns multiple restaurants and has experience in commercial and residential real estate. Jurinsky has served on several municipal committees focused on budgeting, planning, and policy. Her family history includes deep American military ties and immigrant roots, which shape her commitment to public service and local economic growth.