Gold Star Remembrance Special Meals

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Recipe: Lasagna
Honoring Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Forrest  (July 16, 1989 – January 13, 2012)

Recipe submitted by Stephen and Laura Forrest, Parents

CTI3 Nicholas Gregory Forrest was born on July 16, 1989 in St. Mary's, GA. He graduated from Olympic High School in Bremerton in 2007, and attended the University of Washington prior to joining the Navy in 2008. He studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, and became a Russian Linguist. He served as a Russian Linguist for the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland at the time of his passing.

To read more about Nicholas and for his Lasagna recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Buckeyes
Honoring: Chief Petty Officer Stephen "Tyler" Murphy (February 4, 1982 - July 6, 2022)

“I used to make these the day before Tyler would come home. After he arrived home, the first thing he would do is go to the fridge for his buckeyes. By then I would have them bagged into one or two gallon bags so when it was time for him to leave, he would grab his candy and go back to Virginia Beach.” – Eileen Murphy, Mother

Stephen "Tyler" Murphy was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. Tyler was a 2000 graduate of Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada. He enlisted in the Navy in March 2004 and attended Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes in Illinois.

Upon completion of "A" School, Tyler reported to Basic Crewman Selection (BCS) in Coronado, CA. He graduated with class 51 and received orders to Special Boat Team Twenty (SBT 20), where he served from September 2005 through January 2010. At SBT 20, Tyler took the duties of Chief Engineer, Detachment Navigator, Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) Communications Representative, and Human Performance Functional Training Instructor. He developed a strong reputation and was promoted from Special Warfare Boat Operator First Class over the course of two deployments with SBT 20.

In 2010, Tyler left active duty to pursue a degree at The Ohio State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Security and Intelligence with a focus on nuclear weapons and Arabic in 2012

To read more about Tyler and for his Buckeyes recipe, check it out here!

Recipe: Shrimp and Corn Chowder
Honoring: SFC Jonathan Kilian Dozier (September 30, 1977 – January 9, 2008)

Recipe submitted by Amy Dozier, Wife

As a youth, Jon was a kind and loving brother and son. He had a tender heart and an adventurous (and maybe sometimes rebellious) spirit. Like many kids, Jon liked to play soldier in the woods behind his home. As he grew older, he was always surrounded by friends, usually at the water; he loved to swim and surf. Many weekends were spent with family on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Because of his love of playing soldier as a kid, Jon decided that he wanted to become a real one when he grew up.  He selected the Infantry and wanted to be the very best. At age 20, he graduated as Soldier of the Cycle from his Training Company at the Infantry Training Brigade, Fort Benning Georgia. Later, he graduated from Jump School, became Sniper Certified, and completed Phase I of Special Forces Qualification Course. 

To read more about Jon and for his Shrimp and Corn Chowder recipe, check it out here!

 

Recipe: Gooey Butter Cookies
Honoring: Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Flynt (June 12, 1986 – March 12, 2022)

Recipe submitted by Jeannette Tesar, Kevin’s mother

Kevin did not grow up in any one specific town, although he was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He was part of a Navy family that moved around a lot from Texas to the east coast to the west coast and back, and finally returned to Texas where he graduated High School in Kingsville, Texas in 2004. He then joined the United States Navy in October 2005. He served aboard the USS Kauffman (FFG-59) for several years after he completed recruit training and 16-weeks of training to become a Gas Turbine Systems Technician Electrical (GSE). 

To read more about Kevin and for his Gooey Butter Cookie recipe, check it out here!