The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Insurance paid special tribute to Wisconsin Army National Guard First Sergeant Randy Mullenberg during Sunday's Packers-Lions game for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
Mullenberg, a native of New Lisbon, Wis., has been a member of the military since 1986, joining as a Private First Class. He now serves with the 1-121 Field Artillery in Milwaukee where he continues his military career in logistics, which involves the maintenance and care of ground vehicles.
Shortly after joining the Army, Mullenberg was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm (1990 to 1991). He later deployed on two more tours to Kuwait and Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mullenberg has earned several awards during his long career in the Army, including four Army Achievement Awards, three Army Accommodations and a Meritorious Service Medal. Unfortunately, Mullenberg's military career is coming to an end as he was just diagnosed with cancer and will take an early retirement in 2013.
Accompanying Mullenberg to the game were his daughters, Micaela and Grace, and his son, Justin.
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 2012 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 54 families have been recognized with the program.
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 spouse, 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.
