Sioux City, Iowa -- Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Lorenzen said that when he enlisted 29 years ago, he never envisioned that he would be selected to take up a position like the Command Chief of a unit.
“It was not anything I ever thought of where my career would end up,” said Lorenzen. “I never imagined that I would be privileged to represent all of our enlisted airmen. It’s a very humbling thing.”
Lorenzen had been serving as the 185th Air Refueling Wing Maintenance Group Superintendent prior to his new position. He was promoted to be the Wing’s newest Command Chief during a formal Change of Responsibility ceremony in Sioux City, Iowa during the October training weekend, replacing Command Chief Master Sgt. Joe Donovan, who is retiring.
Lorenzen is a Sioux City, Iowa native who began his career in the Air Force in November, 1992 with the delayed enlistment program while attending North High School in Sioux City.
After graduating from Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, in May of 1993, Lorenzen attended technical training at Shepard Air Force Base near Wichita Falls, Texas.
After attending follow-on training at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where he received additional training in Aerospace Maintenance, Lorenzen received his first assignment as a crew chief on a U.S. Air Force KC-10A Extender with the 9th Air Refueling Squadron at March Air Force Base, California.
Lorenzen said that due to base realignment and closure, he and the KC-10s were moved from March to Travis Air Force Base in Northern California, where he finished his time on active-duty in June of 2000.
Following a short break in service, Lorenzen returned to Sioux City and joined his hometown Air National Guard unit, the 185th Fighter Wing, as a traditional Guard member in May of 2001.
The unit began transitioning from an F-16 fighter wing to an air refueling wing with the KC-135, due to his past KC-10 experience, Lorenzen went from an F-16 novice to a resident air refueling subject matter expert shortly after he moved to the Air Guard in Sioux City.
Now, 20 years later, Lorenzen has attained the senior most enlisted rank at the 185th Air Refueling Wing and earned his Community College of the Air Force Degree in Aircraft Maintenance Technology.
As the unit’s Command Chief Master Sergeant, Lorenzen is the senior enlisted advisor to the Wing Commander. He is responsible for the career development of the unit’s enlisted force as well as their welfare, morale, and readiness.
“Ensuring that all Airmen have all the knowledge they need to progress through their careers,” Lorenzen explained. “That’s something that I am going to try to help them with.”
As Lorenzen takes on the role of Command Chief, former Command Chief, Chief Master Sergeant Joseph Donovan, expressed his confidence in Lorenzen’ s capability.
“I am excited for Chief Lorenzen,” said Donovan. “And have every confidence that he will lead and represent the Enlisted Corps well, he cares greatly for Airmen and has a Vision for the future.”
In his retirement from military service, Donovan is going to work for Fusion Cell, a company which specializes in helping veterans transition into the civilian work force.
As Lorenzen takes on his new role as Command Chief, he says he looks forward to continuing to help the Airmen of the 185th Air Refueling Wing with their careers.