The Green Bay Packers and Network Health paid special tribute to U.S. Air Force veteran Dillon Grove during Sunday afternoon's game against the Cincinnati Bengals for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
This year marks the 19th season of Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.
Grove enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2006 and served deployments in both Afghanistan and Kuwait. Throughout his career, Grove earned five commendation medals in recognition of his service. In 2021, after 15 years of dedication to his country, he received an honorable discharge from the Air Force.
A native of Ashland, Wis., Grove has been a devoted Green Bay Packers fan throughout his life. Even during deployments and overseas operations, he found creative ways to follow the team – listening to radio broadcasts at unconventional hours or gathering with fellow servicemembers around a TV in a tent to watch the games. While stationed at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in 2011, he stayed up all night at his computer to purchase stock and become a Green Bay Packers Shareholder. For Grove, staying connected to the Packers provided a meaningful sense of home and familiarity. He attended today's game with his wife, Penniann, and their children, Marissa and Declan. Penniann nominated her husband for recognition.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor those who are on active duty or are veterans of the military, along with their families. In addition to being recognized on the video boards prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game, courtesy of Network Health. The Packers and Network Health will host a family at each 2025 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 221 families have been saluted during the past 18 seasons.
To choose families, the Packers and Network Health 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. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member of their family serving on active duty, or a member of their family who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or sibling.
