Green Bay Reporter

The Green Bay Packers, in collaboration with Network Health, honored U.S. Army veteran Jim Murphy during their game against the Miami Dolphins as part of 'Operation Fan Mail.' This initiative, now in its 18th season, recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.

Jim Murphy's military journey began in 1969 when he joined the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War era. Inspired by his parents' service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Murphy embarked on his basic training on Thanksgiving Day, which also marked his 19th birthday. He was later deployed to Pirmasens, West Germany, serving with the 32nd AADCOM, 2nd Battalion, 56th Artillery. During his time there, he worked with a Nike Hercules missile unit and was responsible for transporting parts and radar equipment to missile sites. Murphy concluded his service with an honorable discharge in 1972.

A lifelong resident of Ridgeway, Wisconsin, and a dedicated Packers fan, Murphy attended the game with family members who nominated him for this recognition as he celebrated his 74th birthday.

Since its inception in 2007, Operation Fan Mail has aimed to honor active duty military personnel and veterans along with their families. Each selected family receives four tickets to a game courtesy of Network Health and is recognized on-field before the match begins. Over the past 17 seasons, a total of 214 families have been acknowledged through this program.

The Packers and Network Health invite interested parties to submit essays detailing why a particular fan should be saluted this season. Essays should be no more than 500 words and can be submitted via mail or online through packers.com/Lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail.

Families eligible for recognition include those with a member currently serving on active duty or those with a veteran among them. The family member can be a spouse, parent, child or sibling.