After serving in the Air Force for 19 years and being stationed at five different duty locations, Senior Master Sgt. Michael Lantz finally got the opportunity to come home.

The Tacoma native and Washington High School alum was transferred to McChord Field in 2007 to serve as the 361st Recruiting Squadron's first sergeant.

And while Lantz is now headed to Scott Air Force Base, Ill. for his next assignment, there's little doubt he's made the most of his time at home.

Lantz was awarded the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's 32nd annual John H. Anderson Military Citizen of the Year Award on Nov. 11 in downtown Tacoma.

"I would have (volunteered) regardless of where I was, but it made it that much more special to me being able to do it at home," said the 40-year-old Lantz.

Lantz's volunteering resume is filled with a wide variety of different activities, all benefiting different organizations. Since arriving with his unit, Lantz became involved with the Seattle gift sharing program, delivering Christmas presents to low income youth centers, foster care groups, elderly centers and at-risk youth programs.

During the snowstorms of 2008, Lantz and his fellow volunteers secured four-wheel drive vehicles and worked to midnight guaranteeing a Christmas for the less fortunate.

"The people we take the presents to are just so happy," he said. "Every kid deserves to have a great Christmas."

Over the past three years, Lantz and his volunteers have delivered more than 9,000 Christmas presents.

Lantz also got involved with the Paint Tacoma Beautify program, volunteering to be a partial crew leader of a home identified by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He went on to become a member of the Paint Tacoma Beautiful planning committee.

A father of four, Lantz also got involved with his children's school, accepting a nomination to the Carter Lake Site Council, where he tackled the communications between parents and teachers. After implementing new communications tools, parent volunteerism doubled and complaints were drastically reduced.

"He has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I've ever met while I've been in the Air Force," said Lt. Col. Steve Lang, 361st Recruiting Squadron commander. "With as busy of a job that he has, for him to find time to do all he does is amazing."

Through all of his volunteering opportunities, Lantz has helped spread the feeling to others. He's brought his children to paint houses and rounded up a group of recruiters from the squadron to help with delivering toys.

"The great thing is that we're doing something together," he said. "I always try and get my family involved in it."

Serving as a first sergeant, Lantz also takes it upon himself to set an example for his airmen.

"We also get the benefit in that recruits see all the great stuff he is doing out in the community," Lang said.

The chamber created the John H. Anderson Military Citizen of the Year Award to honor an outstanding military citizen to commemorate civic contributions by resident military personnel. John H. Anderson served as Tacoma's mayor in the early to mid 1950s. He is also a past Chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Board of Directors, as well as a successful local businessman.