The Green Bay Packers and Network Health paid special tribute to U.S. Army veteran David Zawicki during Sunday afternoon’s game against the San Francisco 49ers for “Operation Fan Mail.”

This year marks the 18th season of Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at every Packers home game.

Zawicki joined the U.S. Army in 1980 and served in Germany during the Cold War and in the Middle East as part of Operation Desert Storm. An injury limited his active duty career, but Zawicki has continued to serve his country as an Army civilian for 30 years.

A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Zawicki has been a devoted Packers fan his entire life. No matter the time of day, Zawicki always watched his beloved Packers play while serving overseas. He watched the Packers win both Super Bowl XXXI and Super Bowl XLV while he was in Germany.

Zawicki attended the game with his wife Carmela and two daughters, Madeline and Victoria. Madeline nominated her father for recognition in today’s competition as he retires next month after more than 44 years in the U.S. Army. He currently resides in San Antonio, Texas, stationed at Fort Sam Houston with the Army Installation Management Command.

Operation Fan Mail, which began in 2007, is designed to honor those who are active duty or veterans of the military, along with their families. In addition to the recognition on the video boards prior to the game, select families will also receive four tickets to the game, courtesy of Network Health. The Packers and Network Health will host a family at each 2024 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 213 families have been greeted over the past 17 seasons.

To choose families, the Packers and Network Health are asking interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay of 500 words or less about why a particular fan should be saluted this season.

Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, PO Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at packers.com/Lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail. Families eligible for recognition are families where a member of their family is on active duty or a member of their family is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or brother or sister.