Jonathan Kilian Dozier was born on September 30, 1977, in Norfolk, City of Norfolk, Virginia. He was the son of Carl Dozier and Martha Dozier. He attended schools in Great Bridge before graduating from Fork Union Military Academy in central Virginia. He enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1997 and spent the next four years balancing military service with college studies. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University from 2000 to 2001 and Middle Tennessee State University from 2001 to 2003, before leaving school in 2004 to join the active-duty Army. Between 1998 and 1999, he served in Korea, then returned to the United States for assignments in Georgia, North Carolina, and Washington.

In April 2005, he reenlisted while assigned to Special Operations Command (SOCOM) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In September 2006, Jon transferred to Rose Barracks, Vilseck, Germany, and joined a scout platoon with Hammer Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. He was sniper-certified and completed Phase I of the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Jon deployed to Iraq on August 11, 2007, and reenlisted for another tour the following month. At the beginning of 2008, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. One week later, on January 9, 2008, he led a team of soldiers during a search operation in Sinsil, Diyala Province, approximately sixty miles north of Baghdad, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Although the building had been cleared of hazards two weeks earlier, insurgents had returned and rigged it with explosives. When Jon and his men entered the structure, a pressure-activated improvised explosive device detonated, killing all six soldiers. He is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, memorial.2dcavalryassociation.com, vfw2894.org