Green Bay Packers show appreciation to Wisconsin National Guard

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

Many members of the Wisconsin National Guard are fervent fans of the Green Bay Packers. As it turns out, the Packers are pretty big fans of the Wisconsin National Guard as well.

That explains the unique gesture of appreciation Thursday (Feb. 24) at the 115th Fighter Wing and Joint Force Headquarters, both in Madison - a visit from the Super Bowl XLV Lombardi Trophy.

Tom Bakken, an assistant equipment manager with the Green Bay Packers, brought the trophy to Madison. He explained that he had gotten to know the Guard as a result of coordination for military flyovers at Lambeau Field, and wanted to give Guard members the opportunity to see the trophy up close and personal.

"We play a game for a living, for goodness sake," Bakken said. "We appreciate all that the Guard does, and this is the least we can do."

Some Guard members and Department of Military Affairs employees had an opportunity to have their picture taken with the trophy.

"You don't get an opportunity like this too often," said Sgt. 1st Class Christina Pagenkopf, who normally works at the U.S. Property and Finance Office at Camp Williams, and was at Joint Force Headquarters for a meeting Thursday. "It's a once in a lifetime experience."

"It's pretty awesome," agreed Tech. Sgt. Jamie Mills, an administrative assistant for Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

"It's a great thing to share with these folks," Bakken said.

This is not the first such gesture by the Packers toward the Wisconsin National Guard. In recent years Wisconsin Guard members have been honored on-field at Packers games, and the official Green Bay Packers game day program featured Wisconsin National Guard members and units during the 2010 season.