Nutting's military service began when he served in the Maine National Guard.

He was awarded the Silver Star and the Soldier's Medal for his service in Korea, the latter for rescuing a wounded female Korean civilian from a minefield.

[11] Nutting retired in 1985 and settled with his wife Jane in Biddeford, Maine, where he served as mayor from 2003 to 2007.

Nutting has also served as a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Higher Defense Studies at the National Defense University and was an Associate Fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University.

[14] Nutting and two others were acquitted in 1993 after trial in the U. S. District Court in Tampa on charges Sooner Defense of Florida, Inc., had sold defective munitions for the Bradley fighting vehicle.