The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute to U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel John "JJ" Riester and his father, retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Scott Riester during Sunday's Packers-Vikings game for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
Scott and JJ are the second and third generations of a military family; Scott's father, Paul Riester, served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Together, the family has more than 60 years of combined military service.
Scott Riester, originally from Washington, Indiana, spent 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, serving in various roles including command communication security program manager. During his time serving, he was deployed in support of Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Now retired, he lives in Warrenton, Virginia.
JJ Riester has been serving in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, and has been deployed in support of Operation Joint Forge, Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is currently a cyber officer assigned as a graduate student at the National Defense University studying at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.
A Packers fan since the 1960s, Scott has passed his love of the team on to JJ, and JJ has shared it with his family. The two attended Sunday's game with JJ's wife of 12 years, Aimee, and their 10-year-old son, Scott. Also at the game with the family was Scott's brother, Brian, and Brian's sons, Dustin and Brandon, and daughter-in-law, Katie.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor families with a member who is on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or sibling. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2019 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 120 individuals, families or groups 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 next 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.
In addition to being recognized on-field prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game and a $150 Packers Pro Shop gift card courtesy of WPS Health Solutions.
