Operation Jawbreaker Fellowship Program

Krista Simpson Anderson Gold Star Fellow

Krista Simpson Anderson is proud to serve as the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation’s Gold Star Fellow. In this role she has the privilege of educating present and future generations on the impact the Global War on Terrorism has had on our community, our nation, and our Gold Star families.

Krista is herself a Gold Star family member. Her late husband, U.S. Army SSG Michael Harrison Simpson, passed away on May 1, 2013 from wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan while serving with the Army 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). Their boys were one and three years old when Mike passed away and the support from the military community was nothing short of extraordinary.

To give back to the military community, Krista co-founded The Unquiet Professional, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting our nation’s grieving, wounded, and active-duty military families. Krista currently serves on advisory boards for Newrez Home Loans and USAA. She has also participated in working groups with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Army addressing casualty reform. Krista continues to consult on casualty cases to ensure families understand the resources that are available to them.

Due to Krista’s dedicated service to the military community, she was recognized as the 2018 Armed Forces Insurance Army Spouse of the Year, overall Military Spouse of the Year, and the 2019 Green Beret Foundation Keeper of the Brave. She has also earned the Department of the Army Superior Public Service Medal.

Krista’s family legacy of service has inspired her own commitment. Her father, John D’Orazio, served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, and her grandfather fought in World War II. Krista’s husband, Gus Anderson, is a retired Green Beret who served 22 years in the U.S. Army Special Forces. Michael’s father, brothers, grandfathers and grandmother (as a WASP) have also worn the uniform and served in various conflicts.

A Massachusetts native, Krista earned her BA from Catholic University of America. She currently resides in Virginia with Gus and their two boys.

Megan Taylor Gold Star Child Fellow

Megan Taylor is a college student at George Washington University with an anticipated graduation in May 2027. She is double majoring in Communication and Classic & Near Eastern Studies. Megan is currently studying in Washington DC, but is originally from Northern Utah. She has 6 younger siblings, and as the oldest child, she has had leadership experience from a very young age. She enjoys traveling, language study, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Megan is a proud Gold Star Child. Her father, Utah Army National Guard Major Brent Taylor, was Killed in Action on his 4th combat deployment, outside of Kabul, Afghanistan in November of 2018 while on an unprecedented leave of absence from his service as Mayor of North Ogden City, Utah. Megan shared her father with her country and community throughout her life and knows firsthand the sacrifice that the loved ones of servicemembers experience. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Design Advisory Council for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation and is humbled by the honor of being named the Foundation’s first Gold Star Child Fellow. Megan looks forward to using her experiences and the lessons she’s learned as a military child to contribute to the planning of the GWOT Memorial.