Leaders of the state’s citizen-soldiers mustered alongside their civilian counterparts on Friday for the first-ever Colorado National Guard “State of the Guard” briefing, an effort to not only share what the Guard does, but how its mission fits into the fabric of the community they serve. 

More than 125 people, including local government and civic leaders, attended the afternoon event at Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight Center at Centennial Airport.

“This event is an opportunity to celebrate the strong partnerships that elevate our Guard, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said via pre-recorded statement. “Organizations like the Aurora Chamber of Commerce and the Buckley Regional Military Affairs Council, among others, provide very important support for our Guard.” 

Now more than 5,200 members serve in the Colorado Army and Colorado Air National Guard, located in 23 communities and more than 70 facilities across the state.

“And this extensive footprint is why our economic impact in Colorado is more than $240 million a year,” Colorado Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan said. “As we expand and modernize our facilities, we introduce new jobs, we have contracted spending, we spend on goods and services, health and education, and all of this ensures that the community benefits from having the Guard as its neighbor.”

Clellan highlighted several of the Colorado Guard’s recent state missions, including the 2021 Marshal fire and more recently, the Elk and Lee fires, where CH-47 Chinook helicopters dropped Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water on flames that collectively burned more than 73,000 acres.

Additionally, Clellan mentioned the Guard’s newest endeavor with NASA, helping develop a foundational flight training course for Artemis astronauts. 

More than 800 Colorado soldiers are slated for deployment throughout 2026 and will support missions including cyber, Central and Northern Africa, Europe and Indo-Pacific combatant commands, Commanding General of the Colorado Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Bren D. Rogers said.

As for the Colorado Air National Guard, Col. Carrie Worrell, commander of the 140th Wing, announced that the Colorado Guard is in pursuit of three new missions — a contingency response group, an intelligence and reconnaissance group, and a possible Guard detachment squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy. 

“While our new mission sets have not been formally assigned to us, yet, we are moving swiftly,” Worrell said. “I have been told we are about 80 to 85% there. These new missions represent a bold step forward and reflect the trust placed in our airmen and the strategic importance of Colorado as a hub for innovation, readiness, and leadership.”