Matt LaFleur Head Coach | Green Bay Packers Website
Matt LaFleur Head Coach | Green Bay Packers Website
The Green Bay Packers, in collaboration with Network Health, honored U.S. Army veteran Benjamin Breckheimer during their game against the Houston Texans as part of 'Operation Fan Mail.' This program, now in its 18th season, recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.
Breckheimer's military journey began after his high school graduation in 2002 when he enlisted in the Army Reserve. He joined the Army full-time in 2005 and served as an operating room specialist in Iraq for a year. Later, he became an active duty cavalry scout and was deployed to Afghanistan. During this deployment, Breckheimer sustained severe injuries from an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion that resulted in multiple fractures and a partially severed right leg. His leg was saved through limb salvage surgery. Throughout his career, he received several honors including the Army Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart.
After retiring from the Army due to medical reasons in 2013, Breckheimer sought new challenges and aimed to inspire others by climbing the Seven Summits—the tallest mountains on each continent. In June 2021, he became the first Purple Heart recipient to achieve this feat.
Originally from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Breckheimer is a lifelong Packers fan who now resides in Tega Cay, South Carolina with his wife Mallory and son Ollie. They attended Sunday's game along with his sister Amy who nominated him for recognition.
Operation Fan Mail was established in 2007 to honor active duty members or veterans of the military along with their families. Selected families receive four tickets to a game courtesy of Network Health and are recognized on-field during pregame activities. Over 211 families have been honored since its inception.
To nominate someone for Operation Fan Mail recognition, interested parties can submit a short essay explaining why a particular fan should be saluted this season. Submissions can be mailed or submitted online via packers.com/Lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail.
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