JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – A U.S. Navy team leader was recognized during an award ceremony hosted by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst on the Lakehurst side of base Aug. 30 for his leadership and dedication to supporting the fleet.

Joe Delorenzo, NAWCAD Lakehurst Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE)/ Visual Landing Aids (VLA) Team lead, received the NAWCAD Program Management Team Leader of the Year award.

“The competition was pretty fierce,” said Mauricio Borrero, head of NAWCAD Program Management at the ceremony opening. “I’m very impressed by what everybody does.”

Delorenzo leads a team of more than 28 personnel with a multi-million dollar acquisition budget. He manages numerous ALRE VLA products and serves as the Contracting Officer Representative for more than seven contracts.

Among his team’s notable accomplishments includes their work with Vertical/Short Takeoff & Landing Optical Landing Systems (VSTOL OLS), which achieved significant cost savings and improved lifecycle reliability for the U.S. Marine Corps.

“As a team leader, Joe Delorenzo is an excellent coach, he brings out the best in his team and he finds ways for them to succeed,” said Borrero.

Delorenzo’s team enjoys and appreciates working for him, Borrero said. He shared an example of when the team was on travel working in a desert climate and Delorenzo brought water every day to keep team members hydrated.

“He does what it takes to lead his team and get the job done,” said Borrero.

“I am speechless actually, maybe for the first time,” said Delorenzo. “You don’t get things like this, as it says, without the team. I am proud to accept it for the department, for VLA, as well as myself.”