The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute to seven combat-disabled and wounded veterans and Purple Heart recipients during Monday's Packers-Lions game for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
The Purple Heart recipients, all of whom served in the U.S. Marine Corps or U.S. Navy, include:
• Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Safford from Eagle River, Wis.
• Corporal Jon Steinborn from Madison, Wis.
• Corporal Michael Skaar from Marshall, Wis.
• Lance Corporal Jake Janes from Evansville, Wis.
• Lance Corporal Matthew Solberg from Kimberly, Wis.
• Sgt. Christopher Horsely from New Orleans, La.
• 1st Sgt. Timothy La Sage from Johnson Creek, Wis.
Between them, the veterans served for a total of more than 51 years of combined military service. Their collective service includes deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
As highly decorated veterans, their awards include numerous meritorious service medals, ribbons, bronze stars and Purple Hearts.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to recognize families with a member who is on active duty. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2017 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 104 individuals or families have been recognized through the program thus far.
To choose families, the Packers and WPS Health Solutions 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. Essays can be sent to: Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or submitted online at **packers.com/gameday/gamedaypromotions/operationfanmail**.
In addition to being recognized on-field prior to the game, selected families receive four tickets to the game. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or sibling.
