BRIDGEWATER — Two military K-9 dog handlers from a family of veterans will be honored by Operation Shoebox at Sunday's Somerset Patriots game.
Second cousins Air Force Staff Sergeant Kyle Luthman of Bridgewater and Vietnam veteran Nels Luthman of Piscataway — both military K-9 dog handlers — will be honored Sunday during the Somerset Patriots 'Stars 'n' Stripes' celebration at 4 p.m. at TD Bank Ballpark for their service to their county 40 years apart from one another.
All proceeds will be donated to Operation Shoebox New Jersey. The event is co-sponsored by Operation Shoebox and AT&T.
The Luthmans share a common bond beyond family. They are proud members of an elite group within the military community — expert military K-9 dog handlers.
Both men are from military families. Nels Luthman's father, Nels Luthman Sr., served aboard a U.S. destroyer escort in the South Pacific during World War II. Kyle’s father Joseph served in the Navy; grandfather, Carl Luthman — who also served in the South Pacific aboard an amphibious attack ship — and grandmother, Catherine Luthman, both served in the Navy during WWII.
Nels Luthman, who grew up and lived in Piscataway, was drafted in 1971 after graduating college and went through basic training at Fort Dix before deploying to Vietnam where he paired up with K-9 Casey in the 48th Scout Dog unit out of Da Nang.
The team parted company at the end of Nels Luthman's deployment in 1972 when he headed home to Piscataway and Casey returned to Lackland Air Force Base in Florida, where she served for another two years. She was one of only 204 military guard dogs who returned safely to the United States from Vietnam.For his service in Vietnam, Nels Luthman was awarded the U.S. Army Combat Infantry Badge, Army Commendation Medal and Air Medal for participating in over 20 air assault missions where troops were inserted into battle zones by helicopter.
Nels Luthman is a retired school teacher now living in Toms River. He and his wife Ginny have two children and two grandsons.
Staff Sergeant Kyle Luthman, of Bridgewater, trained at McGuire Air Force Base, served in Europe, and has been deployed and served with military working dogs in Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Oman, all in support of the global war on terrorism.
Kyle Luthman has been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal; Air Force Achievement Medal; Air Force Combat Action Medal; Air Force Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and NATO Medal.
During his Afghanistan deployment, Kyle Luthman worked with soldiers from the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division and conducted over 45 missions with K-9 Fara, who also served in Iraq with a previous handler.
In between deployments, Kyle Luthman has conducted demonstrations with military working dogs in New York’s Times Square, at the New York Stock Exchange and on national television.
A graduate of Bridgewater High School, Kyle Luthman and his wife Brielle live in Bridgewater with K-9 Fara, who retired from the Air Force in 2012 and “transitioned” to civilian life.
Gates open at 4 p.m., ceremonies will preceded the game, and the first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and are available by calling 908-698-0333.
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