The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Insurance paid special tribute to U.S. Army Specialist Jason Jeffers during Sunday’s Packers-Saints game for ‘Operation Fan Mail.’Jeffers, 31, is currently stationed at Wheeler Army Airfield in Oahu, Hawaii. He has been deployed twice, once to Iraq and currently to Afghanistan, where he has been since January 2012. He is now on a rest and relaxation leave from his duties and will be returning to Afghanistan in October.
The Appleton, Wis., native joined the Army in 2009 in Army Aviation with a Military Occupational Specialty of 15U, Chinook crew chief. His military decorations include, the Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal-Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, NATO Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Accompanying Jeffers to the game were his wife, Hannah, who lives in Appleton, Wis., when Jeffers is deployed, and his two brothers, Ben and Sam.
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 Insurance will host a family at each 2012 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 51 families have been recognized with the program.
To choose families, the Packers and WPS Health Insurance 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. Essays also can be submitted to the Packers online at http://nfl.packers.com/gameday/gameday_promotions/operation_fan_mail.
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.
In addition to being recognized on-field prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game and a care package from WPS.
