2020 Honorees

SGT Carla Best

SGT Carla Best served in the United States Army from 2000-2006. Beginning at Fort Bragg, NC with the 659th Maintenance Company, XVIII Airborne Corps. In 2002, a detachment from the 659th Maintenance Company was deployed to Karshi-Khanabad, Uzbekistan in support of OEF. In July 2004, SGT Best deployed with the 659th Maintenance Company to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; at Logistics Base Seitz Annex within Camp Victory.
 
On Oct. 9th, 2004, SGT Best and seven other soldiers accompanied several fuel tankers to FOB Ironhorse in Tikrit, Iraq. While on the road, the convoy was struck by a daisy-chain of IEDs. SGT Best and two of her soldiers were seriously injured in the blast. This devastating explosion would end SGT Best’s deployment to Iraq and would prove to conclude her military career.
 
SGT Best was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where she began the hardest part of her military service. With the encouragement and love of her family and fellow surviving veterans, SGT Best fought through her healing process; battling infections, wound care, and the amputation of one of her legs. After 2 years at Walter Reed, her time in the Army came to an end the same day she left the hospital. She was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal.
 
The now retired SGT Carla Best currently resides in Colorado, where she continues to find new ways to cope with her physical and mental health. Recently, Carla has embarked on new hobbies, including woodworking projects with the goal of creating military challenge coin cases and shadow boxes.

SGT Tim Johannsen

SGT Tim Johannsen joined the United States Army in 2004 as an artilleryman. The home of artillery is Fort Sill, Oklahoma which is where Tim completed basic training. After basic Tim was stationed at Fort Stewart, 3rd ID 2nd brigade 1st of the 9th field artillery 2nd platoon B Battery. Tim’s first deployment was to Sadr City, Iraq from Jan 2005-2006 and was deployed there again a year later. On June 19th, 2007 SGT Johanssen’s Humvee drove over a pressure plate IED resulting in the amputation his left leg above the knee and right leg below. His life was saved by quick thinking medics and highly trained medivac teams who save so many of our men and women in uniform.
 
After 2½ years rehabilitating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC, Tim moved to Colorado with his wife of 13 years, Jackie, where they still live with their 2 boys: Oliver 9, and Sullivan 5. For The last 9 years Tim has co-hosted the Mulligans Fore Military golf tournament raising money for Homes For Our Troops.
 
From Tim, “I want to make sure that the veterans who come after me have the same opportunities I did and that others gave me. I chose a golf tournament because I love golf, it replaced skateboarding as my passion after I lost my legs. I play in the men’s league at my local club where I also host our tournament. These days I am a dad first, but I love to bass fish and enjoy living life and everything it has to offer.”