Fallen staff sergeant was a born leader

The Associated Press

Jesse Ainsworth's friends and comrades say they're certain he was born to be a leader and loved his work in the military.

"Not only was he a physical stud who never seemed to wear down, but he did his job while making everyone else laugh," 1st Sgt. Robert M. Preusser Jr. said.

Ainsworth, 24, of Dayton, Texas, died July 10 near Walakan, Afghanistan, of injuries from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to Fort Drum and had served two combat tours in Iraq.

He was home-schooled and attended Dayton High School before enlisting in the Army in 2005. It fit his style as a guy who enjoyed hunting and fishing in the woods near his home, friends said.

Ainsworth's sister Rebecca said the Texas native "always knew how to mess with you and make you smile."

He even once tried to teach a young nephew to play a child's guitar, despite not knowing how to play the instrument himself, she said.

He and his wife of two years, Sarah, had a daughter named Lanna who was born before he deployed to Afghanistan. Ainsworth also had a 3-year-old daughter, Lexie.

Other survivors include his mother and stepfather, Margaret and Gene Hutchins.