The Green Bay Packers and Network Health paid special tribute to U.S. Army Veteran Kristi Lyons during Sunday evening's game against the Dallas Cowboys for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
This year marks the 20th season of Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.
Lyons and her best friend, Amy Connolly, share a bond that began in the third grade and has carried them from their Wisconsin roots through more than two decades of military service. The lifelong friends joined the U.S. Army Reserve together in 2003, navigating basic and advanced occupational training side by side.
Lyons ultimately earned the rank of Sergeant First Class, serving as a water treatment specialist, instructor and sustainment brigade plans NCO before retiring in 2025. A veteran of two active-duty deployments, Lyons earned multiple honors throughout her distinguished career, including a Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
A native of Waukesha, Wis., Lyons has been a proud Packers fan all her life, carrying her love for the team no matter where she was stationed. During her deployment to Afghanistan, a coworker shipped her a Packers flag. Lyons proudly took photos with the flag while leading the coordination and recovery of a base supporting more than 300 soldiers and their supplies. Throughout her travels, the Packers always served as a bridge to connect with people from all walks of life.
Now both recently retired, Lyons and Connolly still wear their Wisconsin spirit proudly, just with a little less camouflage and a little more green and gold. Lyons attended tonight's game with her husband, Jim, as well as Connolly and Connolly's husband, Steffan.
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 2026 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 230 families have been saluted during the past 19 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.
