Nutter Run History

 

SGT Samuel Nutter

                                                                                                                                        

ABOUT SGT NUTTER: Samuel Nutter was born in Fort Thomas, Kentucky on January 28, 1966. Sam was raised in Kentucky and New Jersey. Sam enjoyed all sports, but the sports that he participated in were martial arts, football and track and field. Sam lettered in many sports while attending Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, NJ. After 4 successful football seasons as a running back at Ridge High, Sam was accepted into the prestigious US Military Academy at West Point on a football scholarship. Sam reported to football camp his freshmen year at West Point, but after sustaining a foot injury, he needed to dis-enroll from West Point Military Academy. Sam decided to continue his education at University of Miami, Ohio, receiving his bachelor’s degree in business in 1988. After graduating from Miami of Ohio, Sam decided to enter the military, choosing the Navy this time. Sam served in the Navy as a demolition expert and a diver in the EOD unit attached to a Navy SEAL team.  Some of the schools Sam attended while in the Navy are known to be the most difficult schools the US Military offers. Sam is a graduate of EOD Apprentice Diver School, Scuba Diver School, Operations Specialist “A” School. Sam had such a rare skill set that after 9-11-01, the US Navy called him up into service from the Naval Reserve, and assigned him to a SEAL team for two weeks following the terrorist attacks. Some of the decorations Sam Nutter has been awarded are Meritorious Service Medal, Battle “E” Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Expert Pistol, Expert Rifle, Navy Unit Commendation and National Defense Service Medal. After 9-11-01, Sam decided to come back into the reserves due to his love of the military. He re-entered the service as an OCS enlistment option and was assigned to the OCS Company at the 254th Regiment in Sea Girt, NJ. It was here that Sam was informed of his terminal illness.
Despite the news, Sam decided to stick with it and drive on. Although he was clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the officer candidates in his class, he was always the very first one to lend a helping hand. One TAC officer commented that he would have been the honor graduate.
 

 SGT Raul Aponte

 The Aponte residence was struck by lightning during a storm in 2008 and caught fire, leaving them without a permanent residence and under heavy financial burden since their misfortune.  SGT Aponte deployed with the 50th IBCT to Iraq from 2008-2009. 

Ashleigh

The beneficiary for the SGT Nutter Run of 2006 was Ashleigh Ryann Gwinn. Ashleigh is the daughter of 1LT Howard and Michelle Gwin. 1LT Gwin was assigned to C Troop, 5/117th CAV and was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. June 2003, Ashleigh was diagnosed with Krabbe Leukodystrophy, an inherited neurodegenerative lysosomal enzyme disorder affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems. Toxic substances are produced in the brain, causing myelin loss, changes in cells and neurological damage.

Ashleigh had received chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, we lost Ashleigh to her difficult battle to Krabbe disease on November 29, 2007. Her memory remains an inspiration to us all at the 254th CA Regiment and our thoughts and prayers remain with her family always.

Caitlyn McGuire

The SGT Nutter Run of 2007 was organized in May of that year to the aid of Caitlyn McGuire the daughter of New Jersey Army National Guardsman, SPC Robert McGuire and the grand daughter of another New Jersey National Guardsman, CW2 Mickey McGuire. Caitlyn is currently putting on a brave face as she battles cancer.

 

 

Dina Hickman

This year, The New Jersey Army National Guard Officer Candidate School’s 51st class has determined that the beneficiary for the SGT Nutter Run of 2008 will be Dina Hickman, daughter of Command Sergeant Major Timothy Marvian. Dina was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type I at the age of 6 months. The condition is genetic and some of the symptoms presented in Dina include café-au-lait spots, learning disabilities, mild physical defects, as well as tumors. Adding to the family’s hardships, CSM Marvian will deploy soon with the with the 2-102nd RSTA (Cavalry) to Iraq.