Senior Airman John Ainsworth Published March 10, 2011 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- "Tip of the Spear" is a weekly spotlight designed to recognize outstanding Airmen for the work they do every day at Hurlburt Field. Senior Airman John Ainsworth, 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron tactical weather/communications trainer, was selected for this week's spotlight. Name: Senior Airman John T. Ainsworth Unit: 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron Duty Title: Tactical weather/Communications trainer Hometown: Mount Holly, Ark. Date Entered the Air Force: Aug. 12, 2008 Hobbies: Hunting, camping, the outdoors, cars, and sports. Why did you join the Air Force? I joined to finish my degree, see some unique things and serve my country. How does your Air Force specialty contribute to the mission? My unit deploys as maintainers of Air Force deployed weather systems. Fixed-wing, rotary and unmanned aircraft depend on fully-operational equipment that we maintain while deployed. What's your favorite thing about Hurlburt Field? The special operations environment. I never went special operations because I wasn't sure if I would stay in, but seeing them train makes me push myself that much harder. What do you like most about being an Airman? The lifestyle, the priceless training and the unique experiences. What's one thing you wish you were told before joining the Air Force? The different routes to become an officer. I have three years of college and would have liked to have been informed about ways to put that to good use. What motivates you at work? Knowing there is a lot of air movements that depend on my deployed team keeping their equipment fully mission capable. Who are your heroes/role models? My family, hands down. They are some of the strongest, most resilient people I have ever known. Why was he selected? "Airman Ainsworth recently returned from a deployment as a member of the Weather Systems Support Cadre, a mobile maintenance team that is forward-deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan to maintain and repair deployed weather systems. While there, he contributed to the area of responsibility's highest weather equipment availability rate since operations began in 2001. He was recently selected the Headquarters Air Force, A3/5 Airman of the Year for 2010." -Senior Master Sgt. Clifford Walton, 2nd CWSS superintendent