21st Security Forces stand guard over Cheyenne Mountain Complex

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jaime Sanchez
  • Space Base Delta 1
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --  Throughout the tunnels of Cheyenne Mountain, Defenders from the 21st Security Forces Squadron watch over one of the nation’s most secure and iconic installations.

In addition to securing personnel and assets at Peterson Space Force Base, Defenders from 21st SFS also safeguard Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station. The mission at CMSFS presents challenges not found at Peterson, shaped by both its location and history.

Housed 2,000 feet within granite, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex was built at the height of the Cold War to withstand attacks from Soviet bombers. Today, its underground design continues to set it apart.

Cheyenne Mountain remains a critical node in the nation’s defense architecture, supporting missions for North American Aerospace Defense Command, and U.S. Northern Command. The facility’s operations ensure constant vigilance in missile warning, space surveillance, and homeland defense.

“The 21 SFS supports NORAD and USNORTHCOM by providing a secure environment for nuclear command and control communications capabilities through personnel screen, positive entry/exit control procedures, alarm response, and physical security measures.” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Devin Banks, 21st SFS noncommissioned officer in charge. “This enables NORAD and USNORTHCOM Assessors to access a secure location at a moment’s notice to execute National Level Command Strategies in times of emergencies.”

Defenders must adapt to steep mountainous terrain that rises more than 7,000 feet in altitude, as well as dark, confined spaces that demand a different approach from conventional base security.

“The mountain is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a mountain, not your average base,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Gregory Richendollar, 21st SFS response force leader. “It’s not completely flat, very direction oriented. It’s not more difficult to respond to things, but it’s not as straightforward.”

Working inside Cheyenne Mountain requires more than just physical presence; it calls for situational awareness and the ability to adapt to an environment unlike anywhere else in the Space Force. This combination of history, terrain, and mission makes security operations at CMSFS distinct from those at Peterson SFB.

While the mission differs, the focus remains constant: protecting the people and operations inside the mountain. For the Defenders, this responsibility carries pride in serving at a site known worldwide in both military history and popular culture.

“Coming from a job in the civilian world, I didn’t really know what Cheyenne Mountain was when I first got here,” Richendollar said. “It definitely changed my life, knowing what I protect up here and what is done here, and seeing it in pop culture, I can call myself a part of that.”

The Defenders of the 21st SFS at Cheyenne Mountain continue to safeguard one of America’s most enduring symbols of defense, ensuring the missions of NORAD and USNORTHCOM carry on without interruption.

 

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