About Peterson AFB

Peterson AFB is located in the southwestern portion of the City of Colorado Springs. The Air Force actually rents the land on which the base is situated from the City. The base shares the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport runway under a shared joint civil-military airport arrangement. The Air Force provides the fire protection vehicles that protect travelers and the aircraft flying into and out of 'COS.'

The base is virtually a self-contained city within a city. In addition to the shared runway, the base has industrial, office and retail space; dormitories for single military members and housing for families; hotel-like accommodations for travelers; both fast food and sit-down restaurants; a medical facility; and fitness facilities, including a pool, gymnasiums and an 18-hole golf course. It is possible for a military member to live, work and play for their entire tour of one, two or three years, without ever having to go off the base.  However, doing so would mean that they would not experience all the benefits enjoyed by both military and civilians fortunate enough to be stationed in the Pikes Peak Area.

Peterson AFB is one of the largest installations in the US Military, with multiple high-tech missions:
 
NORAD. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, which includes military forces from the US and Canada, conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning in the defense of North America.

NORTHCOM. US Northern Command provides support to US civil authorities  while protecting air, land and sea approaches to the US, its territories, Canada and Mexico. 

AF SPCOM. Air Force Space Command provides 'military focused space and cyberspace capabilities with a global perspective to the joint war fighting team.' There are about 42,000 people in the command assigned to 134 locations worldwide.

21st Space Wing. The 21st Space Wing is the host unit for Peterson AFB, and provides the normal operational and maintenance support for the installation; operates and maintains global missile warning and space control capabilities around the world; and provides missile warning and space control to NORAD and U.S. Strategic Command through a network of command and control units and ground based sensors operated by geographically separated units around the world.

302 Aircraft Wing (Reserves). The 302nd Airlift Wing is Colorado's only Air Force Reserve flying unit and is the largest tenant organization at Peterson AFB. It has more than 1,200 Reservists and 250 full-time employees assigned. The wing is one of nine C-130 Air Force Reserve units with an airdrop and airlift mission located throughout the nation.

SMDC/ARSTRAT. The US Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama,  conducts space and missile defense operations and provides planning, integration, control and coordination of Army forces and capabilities in support of U.S. Strategic Command missions; serves as the Army force modernization proponent for space, high altitude and global missile defense; serves as the Army operational integrator for global missile defense; and conducts mission-related research and development; and provides relevant, timely capabilities to the Warfighter.