5 MUNS: Building BUFF firepower Published Nov. 7, 2016 By Airman 1st Class J.T. Armstrong Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Respectful. Leader. Hard-worker. These are some of the words 5th Munitions Squadron leaders use to describe Airman 1st Class Josh DeSpain, 5th MUNS conventional maintenance crew member.“He’s the kind of Airman you want working for you,” said Staff Sgt. Sahtara Wehe, 5th Munitions Squadron productions superintendent. “He’s a self-motivated worker, and his willingness to do the difficult jobs make him stand out from other Airmen.”His leaders credit his work ethic to past working experiences.DeSpain, a Dyersburg, Tennessee native, worked for the Choctaw Transportation Company for seven years, where he helped control the flow of transportation on the Mississippi River, before he joined the U.S. Air Force. “I joined the Air Force because of all the benefits it offered,” said DeSpain. “There weren’t many benefits in my last job and I wanted an established career before I started a family.”After arriving to his first duty station and being here for six months, DeSpain’s character is already evident to his squadron.Recognized for consistent hard work and leadership, his unit leadership awarded him the 5 MUNS Own It Award. The award is preserved for proud, confident and professional Airmen who take ownership of mission accomplishment.DeSpain takes pride not only in his work, but his future as well. After duty, he attends Minot State University in pursuit of a business degree. According to Wehe, DeSpain is an Airman that tries to learn everything.“I enjoy learning, and education is important to me,” said DeSpain. “My goal is to start my own construction company after retiring from the Air Force.”Airman 1st Class Josh DeSpain is one of 225 5th MUNS Airmen who support the mission of providing firepower on-demand for the B-52H Stratofortresses at Minot.