The Green Bay Packers and Network Health paid special tribute to U.S. Army veteran Benjamin Breckheimer during Sunday afternoon's game against the Houston Texans for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
This year marks the 18th season of Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.
After graduating from high school in 2002, Breckheimer enlisted in the Army Reserve. In 2005, he joined the Army full-time and was deployed to Iraq for one year as an operating room specialist. Four years later, he reclassed and became an active duty calvary scout, deploying to Afghanistan. Three months into Breckheimer's tour, the vehicle he was driving hit an improvised explosive device (IED). He sustained numerous injuries, including vertebrae, pelvic and femur fractures, and a partially severed right leg. Fortunately, his leg was saved after undergoing limb salvage surgery. Over the course of his military career, Breckheimer was honored with numerous decorations, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart.
Breckheimer began looking for ways to overcome his injuries, challenge himself and inspire others after medically retiring from the Army in 2013. He set a goal of climbing the Seven Summits, the tallest mountain on each of the world's continents. In June of 2021, he achieved that goal, becoming the first Purple Heart recipient to successfully reach the top of all of the Seven Summits.
A native of Menomonee Falls, Wis., Breckheimer has been an avid Packers fan all his life. He now resides in Tega Cay, S.C. His wife, Mallory, and their son, Ollie, accompanied him to Sunday's game, along with his sister, Amy, who nominated him to be recognized.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor those who are on active duty or are veterans of the military, along with their families. In addition to being recognized on the video boards prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game, courtesy of Network Health. The Packers and Network Health will host a family at each 2024 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 211 families have been saluted during the past 17 seasons.
To choose families, the Packers and Network Health are asking interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular fan should be saluted this season.
Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at packers.com/Lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member of their family serving on active duty, or a member of their family who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or sibling.
