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Lieutenant Colonel Bob Luther
Commander , 2nd Battalion , 19th Special Forces Group ( Airborne ), West Virginia National Guard
SAMANTHA CART
Photo by West Virginia National Guard .
LIEUTENANT COLONEL BOB LUTHER ’ S career has been defined by his radical commitment to integrity , hard work and stubbornness in the face of obstacles , which started when he enlisted in the West Virginia National Guard ( WVNG ) in 1994 during his senior year at Barboursville High School .
“ I knew exactly which unit I wanted to join — 2nd Battalion , 19th Special Forces ,” he says . “ When I was growing up , the unit ’ s drop zone was located just a mile from our house . My mom and dad would pull onto the shoulder of
Route 2 to watch them parachute from helicopters into the fields between the road and the Ohio River just above Greenbottom , WV .”
After completing basic training , Luther attended the military paralegal and airborne schools in 1995 . During this time , he was studying at Marshall University and serving part time in the WVNG .
However , after three semesters , he decided to switch gears and enroll in the U . S . Army Special Forces Qualification Course . After graduating from the course in 1998 , he returned
106 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE