MADISON, Wis.—Dec. 21, 2022—The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute this week to Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Litscher in conjunction with the Dec. 19 game against the Los Angeles Rams. Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game, marks its 16th season in 2022.
Litscher grew up in Baraboo, Wis., and, after graduating from high school, enlisted in the Army National Guard. He completed basic and infantryman training. In 2004 and 2009, he was deployed to Iraq as an infantryman for more than a year in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
In 2011, Litscher and his wife, Ashley, moved to Ft. Rucker, Ala., for two years so Litscher could complete his training to fly Blackhawk helicopters. Following his training, the family moved back to Wisconsin, and Litscher began flying with the Blackhawk Unit out of West Bend. In 2017, he was deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months, this time as a pilot. He flew many missions to take injured soldiers out of combat zones to the nearest medical facilities and save lives.
In 2020, while continuing to serve in the Wisconsin National Guard, Litscher was working full-time as a commercial pilot. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and airline travel slowed down, he assisted the Wisconsin National Guard with COVID-19 testing and data collection and was offered the opportunity to fly full-time for the National Guard in Madison. He went back to flight school to transition from flying helicopters to flying a fixed wing C26, and currently flies military charters.
A lifelong Packers fan, Listcher attended Monday’s game with Ashley, his mom, Sue Stoddard, and stepdad, Brad Stoddard. Their family also includes Litscher’s daughters, Ali, Addi, and Stella. The family now lives in Merrimac, Wis.
As the honorees for Operation Fan Mail this week, Litscher also received four tickets to the game and a $150 Packers Pro Shop gift card, courtesy of WPS.
The program, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor families with a member who is on active duty or a member who is a veteran. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2022 season home game and recognize the members on the video boards during pregame activities. A total of 155 individuals, families, or groups have been recognized through the program since it began.
The Packers and WPS Health Solutions invite interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular family should be saluted this year. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, or sibling.
Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at operationfanmail.com.
