HONOREE:
Mike Klas
BRANCH:
Army
GAME:
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute to Army veteran Mike Klas and his family during Thursday’s Packers-Eagles game for Operation Fan Mail.
Klas, a Fredonia, Wis., native, served in the Army from 1976-79 and 1983-2001. He was a military helicopter co-pilot in the Gulf War and also served as an aerial observer, fire support specialist, and senior instructor at the Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
He achieved the rank of First Sergeant, and was awarded numerous awards and medals, including the National Defense Service Medal, Southeast Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, and Air Assault Badge. He was deployed to Germany, Korea, and Saudi Arabia, and was stationed in Kentucky and Washington.
Following his retirement from the military, Klas worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs, assisting homeless veterans in overcoming substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as helping them find medical care, housing, and employment.
Klas, a lifelong Packers fan who now lives in Lakewood, Wash., is undergoing rigorous treatment for stage 4 brain cancer, but dreamed of returning to Lambeau Field to see the Packers play. He attended Thursday’s game with his wife, Joyce; son, Kevin; and daughter-in-law, Christina.
The appearance of U.S. military visual information does not imply or constitute endorsement by the U.S. military.
