DENVER — David Riley spent 32 years as an air traffic controller in the Marine Corps and at Denver International Airport.

Riley, who is now retired, spoke with Denver7 about the high-stakes job.

“It's a highly technical job done by people that have some extraordinary skills,” he said. “We have to be on our game 100% of the time.”

Riley says there’s been a shortage of controllers in recent years, leading them to be overworked and underpaid.

“We have a contractual obligation as controllers, that if you are fatigued and you're not fit for duty, you have to call in and say, ‘I am not fit for duty,’” he told Denver7. “God forbid that, you know, something tragic would happen and there'd be a loss of life because a controller is fatigued and can't do their job.” David Riley

With the ongoing

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