Carla Kiernan
Treasurer
Carla is a retired Colonel from the US Army Special Operations Command and currently lives in Whispering Pines North Carolina outside of Ft Bragg, the home of the Special Operations. Carla was married to John Gaines who passed away in 2022, and they shared three children. Carla grew up in Brewster New York where she graduated high school and then attended the University of Portland, Oregon. Upon graduation in 2001, she joined the Army.
Carla started her Army career as a Quartermaster Officer where she served for 4 years as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Company Commander deploying twice to Afghanistan and once to Iraq. In March of 2006, she moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina where she was selected to join the Psychological Operations branch serving within US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Ft Bragg NC. Within her 20 years in USASOC she served as Company Commander, Task Force Commander, and Battalion Commander deploying multiple times to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries within her area of expertise. Carla would spend the rest of her career in USASOC Units and culminate her career as the Deputy Commander of the 8th Psychological Operations Group (A).
In 2022 Carla had the opportunity to attend an Op Surf program in Central California. This opportunity introduced her to the ocean and provided the mental healing needed after 23 years of combat and significant losses. Her love of the ocean began during this program and has become a critical piece to her journey of wellness, not just for herself, but for her family as well.
Program Testimonials
"Operation Surf was refreshing and fun! Of course, it was really great to learn to surf, but OS is so much more than just surfing. Never having surfed before and not being very comfortable in the ocean, I was forced to get out of my own way and trust the process. Being able to accomplish something I thought I wouldn't be able to do was very rewarding, and it ignited a fire in me that I had let go dim. I feel rejuvenated and self-confident again. I look forward to trying new things, going on more adventures, and enjoying the sport of surfing for many years to come."
"The fact that I was able to completely disconnect from work and fully submerge myself in the experience without any obligations opened up many doors for relaxation, resetting, refocusing, rebuilding, bonding, and both personal and relational healing. We were both struggling individually and as a couple prior to this trip. The professionalism, relatability, enthusiasm, excitement, openness, and care that every single member of Operation Surf displayed towards us and one another was contagious. They helped us find our individual selves again and helped save our marriage."
"Operation Surf was hands-down the greatest trip that I have ever been on. We travel the world for our jobs and get to see and do things that most people can only dream of, but that’s often filled with guilt while my wife is left juggling her own work, the kids, and everything else life throws at her. We spend a substantial amount of time away from each other with all of the trips, training, and deployments. Getting to share this experience with my wife by my side and finding a new, exciting activity that we both immediately fell in love with truly made this a trip of a lifetime."