Sara’s Story
Sara Knutson was born In Baltimore Maryland on May 7, 1985. She grew up in Eldersburg and was an active and energetic child. She participated in a variety of activities: soccer, gymnastics, competitive cheer and dance and karate. She attended Liberty High School where she was active in student government, track and numerous clubs.
“For my story may not be one known to mankind but my love was strong enough to change the world.”
– Mantra
On September 10, 2001 Sara made a college visit to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Although she said every cadet told her “don’t come here”, her reaction was I could do this. We drove home that night past the Twin Towers not realizing that we would never see them again. The next day the world changed and it solidified her desire to join the military. At West Point, Sara was a member of the Glee Club and the Judo team. She graduated as a law major with the class of 2007. She earned the Sargeant Major Cornell W Gillmore award given to the cadet law major who made the most significant contributions in the area of International Law and the Law of War.
Upon graduation, Sara attended airborne school and then spent two years at Ft Rucker where she learned to fly UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. She said it was the hardest thing that she had ever done. She was stationed for the next three years at Ft Wainwright in Alaska. She deployed to Pakistan on a humanitarian mission spending long hours flying supplies to those in remote areas who were cut off because of the floods. When she was stationed in Alaska, she embraced the cold and the outdoors and she loved to go snowboarding, ice fishing, and camping. Of course, her favorite thing about Alaska was meeting and working with Chris Cullen whom she married in November 2012.
