New senior Reserve recruiter comes full circle

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sasha Skrine
  • 512th Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Paying it forward is one of the many philosophies Senior Master Sgt. Michael DiLorenzo, the new senior Reserve recruiter here, holds close to his heart.
 
Sergeant DiLorenzo, a Florida native, began his Air Force career more than two decades ago at 22 when he enlisted into active duty and was stationed at Dover as a C-5 crew chief. In 1996, Sergeant DiLorenzo worked with C-130s at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala.
In the late 1990s, Sergeant DiLorenzo left active duty and moved back to Dover with his wife and three children. With a family to support and a void in his life that the camaraderie of the military once filled, Sergeant DiLorenzo turned to a long-time friend and mentor at Dover. This mentor introduced him to the Air Force Reserve. 

"After a year out of the military, I really missed it, especially the warmth and sense of community I felt when I was stationed at Dover," said Sergeant DiLorenzo.
Shortly thereafter, he joined the Reserve as a sheet metal apprentice for the 512th Airlift Wing, where he was supervised by Senior Master Sgt. Joe Haney, 512th Maintenance Squadron superintendent. 

"Mike was always looking for a challenge and once he mastered something he was ready to get to the next one," said Sergeant Haney. "It was obvious that he was a natural fit for a recruiter position, so I was not surprised and knew he would excel at that or whatever he chose to do for that matter." 

Several months later, he was offered an Air Reserve Technician position, which he held until 2002 when he was accepted to the Recruiting School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. 

"I wanted to become a recruiter, because there are a lot of young people out there looking for direction, and the Reserve has always been good to me," said Sergeant DiLorenzo. 

Upon completion of the six-week course, Sergeant DiLorenzo returned to Dover and served as a recruiter for the Liberty Wing, later transferring to the 459th Air Refueling Wing at Andrews AFB, Md. 

After a year of commuting back and forth from Dover to Andrews AFB, Sergeant DiLorenzo took a position working for Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command before returning to Dover, where he assumed the senior recruiter position this past August. 

"My priority is not meeting a quota but ensuring the recruiters find the most qualified candidates," emphasized Sergeant DiLorenzo, who supervises six recruiters located from Newark, Del. to Norfolk, Va. 

Sergeant DiLorenzo's more than a decade of vast knowledge of Dover and the Reserve using the Air Force core value of integrity to motivate his recruiters and brings a passion for the Air Force Reserve. 

"One of the first things I learned when I joined the Air Force was the importance of honesty," said Sergeant DiLorenzo. 

Providing potential recruits with as much information as possible, and being completely honest with them and their families is a key practice in all of Sergeant DiLorenzo's recruiting offices. 

The 512th AW Recruiting Office is always looking for qualified candidates for the following programs prior service program, individuals who are new to the military for the non-prior program. 

"Over the next two years, the Reserve will bring in more than 100 new recruiters," said Sergeant DiLorenzo. 

For more information regarding the programs, call the recruiting office at (302) 857-8595.