A Waterford, Wis. native, Schrader joined the Air Force Reserve in 2001 and serves as a Captain in the United States Air Force Reserve stationed with the 96th Airlift Squadron at the 934th Airlift Wing in Minneapolis, Minn.
Throughout his years of service, Schrader has been deployed to Afghanistan, Germany, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo, and Turkey and currently is a pilot, flying the C-130 Hercules. He has flown combat missions in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and recently returned from Afghanistan after flying combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
This past year, Schrader was a part of a crew flying aero-medical missions into Haiti. The crew helped evacuate critically injured earthquake victims and flew relief supplies into the Dominican Republic in support of Operation Unified Response.
Joining Schrader during Sunday's salute will be his wife, Christine, who is also a Captain in the Air Force Reserve at the 934th Airlift Wing, and his sister, Alicia Schrader, and father, Dean Schrader.
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 2010 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. More than 30 families have been recognized during the past three-plus seasons.
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/gamedaypromotions/operationfanmail/
Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty. The family member can be a 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.
