Polis says he will fight proposal to remove Colorado Air National Guard space units

DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis is opposing a proposal brought by the U.S. Department of the Air Force to remove Colorado Air National Guard space units from the state and also override existing law that requires governor consent before National Guard units can be removed from a state.

The proposal is part of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which determines the Department of Defense’s budget, and Polis says this change would be a direct override of gubernatorial authority.

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In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Governor Polis wrote, “I will continue to oppose any involuntary removals of Colorado Air National Guard space units and personnel as well as any reductions to the Colorado National Guard’s force structure.”

Polis also noted his concern for how the removal of the units would impact state-based citizen service members and said he was concerned it would create significant national security issues.

“This direct override of gubernatorial authority to exercise control over the units that are permanently based or removed from their respective states flies in the face of over 120 years of military tradition, organizational structure and efficacy, and precedent. This action would threaten the ability of the National Guard to serve as the operational combat reserve for national security missions as well as its ability to support domestic emergencies. Both of these outcomes are unacceptable,” Polis wrote to the Department of Defense.

The U.S. Space Force was established in 2019 and staffed with active duty service members from the U.S. Air Force. However, there was no corresponding change to ensure that National Guard members working on space missions also fall under Space Force authority.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet who represents Colorado joined several colleagues earlier this year to reintroduce an act establishing the Space National Guard. However, the measure hasn’t had any movement since it was introduced, read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Armed Forces on Jan. 31.

According to the Colorado Governor’s Office, Colorado National Guard leadership has also expressed strong opposition to the Congressional proposal and “its detrimental implications on the structure and organization of the National Guard.”

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In his letter, Polis noted that National Guard servicemembers sign a contract and swear an oath to serve the United States and the State of Colorado.

“As their Commander-in-Chief, I cannot stand idly by as the servicemembers I am charged with leading are faced with the decision to either leave military service, or serve in a manner that they did not originally agree to,” Polis wrote to the Secretary of Defense. “We know that a significant majority of Air National Guard space operators will not transfer to the U.S. Space Force, putting both their military career and national security at risk.”

Polis said the proposal would threaten the “very existence of the National Guard.”

“Colorado stands firm on its commitment to protect its service members from wrongful actions taken against units, and continues to urge the proposed legislation to not move forward,” a release from the governor’s office stated.

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