The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute to U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Eric Quigley during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game, is marking its 15th season in 2021.
Quigley, who was born and raised in Green Bay, decided he wanted to join the Coast Guard when he was a freshman at Pulaski High School. As a young man, he served in the Coast Guard auxiliary in Green Bay, and he graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 2006. He has served in Texas, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Washington D.C., and he has worked on ships operating in the Western Pacific, Eastern Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Coast and the Great Lakes.
He currently is the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay stationed in Sturgeon Bay, where he is responsible for maintaining aids to navigation of Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan. His duties also include ice breaking to keep commercial navigation open for some of the winter months. Quigley is living out his dream as captain of the cutter in his hometown waters where he boated throughout his life. He plans to serve with the U.S. Coast Guard until he reaches retirement.
Quigley, a lifelong Packers fan, attended Sunday's game with his father, Ken, his mother, Barb, and his sister, Kristin.
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 or group at each 2021 home game and recognize them on the video board during pregame activities. A total of 143 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.
