Emotional homecoming for Valley airman killed in Ukraine

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It was a somber and emotional ceremony Saturday morning as family and friends welcomed home Lt. Colonel Seth Nehring.[br /][br /]The Central Valley native and Fresno airman was killed one month ago after his fighter jet crashed overseas during a joint military exercise.[br /][Ads /][br /]On the tarmac at the Air National Guard base in Fresno, Lt. Colonel Nehring was brought home.[br /][br /]Members of his 144th fighter squadron giving their final salute to the man known to many as "Jethro."[br /][br /]As they carried his flag-draped casket to the hearse waiting nearby, Nehring's family stood feet away, taking in the emotional homecoming before his memorial service inside the hanger.[br /][br /]The beloved airman was killed back in October when his fighter jet crashed during a training exercise in Ukraine.[br /][br /]But his journey began here in the Central Valley where he attended Clovis High and played water polo.[br /][Ads /][br /]After graduating, he enlisted as a crew chief before being selected as a pilot.[br /][br /]"He cared about humanity, he cared about people the way he cared about this nation, and he went about that full loaded," said close family friend Lt. Al Evdokimo.[br /][br /]Commander Daniel Kelly echoing those sentiments, saying Nehring who flew both the F-16 Viper and the F-15 Eagle could connect with everyone.[br /][br /]"It is that relationship he was able to build that really made him a huge part of our family," 144th Fighter Wing Cmdr. Daniel Kelly.[br /][br /]A family is now having to say goodbye to a decorated fighter pilot who gave nearly 25 years of his life to protecting U.S. skies.