HONOREE:
Matthew Kuzicki
BRANCH:
U.S. Navy
GAME:
Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys
By Greg Bates
Special for Operation Fan Mail
The day Matthew Kuzicki was going to enlist in the United States Navy, the recruiter had to go to his house so his parents could sign forms since he was only 17 years old.
Serving in the military was a time-honored tradition in Kuzicki’s family lineage. His paternal grandfather was in World War II and his maternal grandfather spent time in the Korean War.
“Both my grandfathers, one in the Marine Corps, one in the Army. I have a couple uncles, both that were in the Navy,” Kuzicki said. “One was still active duty when I decided to join, and he came home on leave, I think, and that was something I wanted to do. I actually had a buddy that graduated a year before me and he went to the Navy, and I was talking to him—and that’s kind of how it all happened. Family history is probably the biggest thing that drove me, though.”
Kuzicki, a 2005 Pulaski High School graduate in Pulaski, Wis., knew the importance of serving his country.
Family is extremely important in Kuzicki’s life, followed closely by the Green Bay Packers. The 35-year-old, who now lives in Gulfport, Miss., is a lifelong fan.
“I grew up there, 30 minutes from Green Bay,” said Kuzicki, now a petty officer in the Navy. “It’s just part of who we are there. I remember a long time ago, we used to go to my grandfather’s house and watch the Packers games, and I guess that’s probably my earliest memory of it. It’s tried and true with my family, Green Bay Packers.”
The early years when Brett Favre was just starting his career for the Packers was when Kuzicki was just beginning to root for the home team.
Despite his super fandom, Kuzicki has only attended one Packers game at Lambeau Field. That changed on Nov. 13. Kuzicki was selected as the winner of the Operation Fan Mail program and received four tickets for the Packers-Cowboys game. The award is presented by WPS Health Solutions and the Packers.
Kuzicki’s wife, Danielle, told her husband he was chosen as the military recipient for that Packers game after his mother-in-law, Joyce Maszke, had nominated him.
“I thought she was joking,” Kuzicki said. “I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ We already had tickets to the game and I’m thinking we’re going to the game, but she starts telling me all this and she’s tearing up as she’s telling me, because she’s so excited. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Maszke was happy to nominate Kuzicki.
“We’re so proud of him and all of his accomplishments that he’s done,” she said. “The first time me and my husband met Matt, we knew that he was a man of integrity, and he won our vote for our daughter’s heart. He’s proven that over and over.”
Danielle Kuzicki knows her husband is a worthy winner of Operation Fan Mail and will represent the armed services well at the Packers game.
“Being his spouse, I’ve seen the sacrifices that he’s had to make over the years, and he’s just been through so much,” Danielle Kuzicki said. “He makes me so proud. Words can’t describe how proud I am of my husband. The deployments we have gone through and everything, our first deployment together, I ended up in the hospital two months into that deployment, and he would video call every moment that he possibly could. Even though I was in the hospital and couldn’t really talk to him, he would have the nurse prop up my phone so he could even just watch me sleep and make sure I was OK.”
Putting in his due
After signing with the Navy as a 17-year-old, Kuzicki went through the delayed entry program and then was assigned to Chicago for his Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS).
He went through boot camp in Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., before being sent to Port Hueneme, Calif., for A school job training. In 2006, Kuzicki was deployed to Sicily for a two-year tour with public works.
“I call it my college years,” Kuzicki said. “Didn’t know anything else besides Green Bay, Wis., basically at that point, and they’re sending me halfway around the world.”
Kuzicki was stationed in Gulfport, Miss. in 2008, and that’s where he still is today.
Kuzicki has spent time in different commands over the years as a construction mechanic, or CM1, as well as a C school instructor.
During his time in Gulfport, Kuzicki has deployed to Spain, Cameroon, Africa, and Guam along with other various countries while on tour. He works on heavy construction equipment, supporting the United States’ missions while overseas.
During his more than 17 years in the Navy, Kuzicki has racked up numerous individual accolades. He was named sailor of the year two years in a row. The first year he won for his command, and the second year he won for his base.
Kuzicki is very humble and wants to keep to himself about his awards.
“I want to share it with everybody and he’s like, ‘It’s OK. You don’t have to tell everybody,’” Danielle Kuzicki said.
Kuzicki has also achieved four Navy and Marine Corps achievement medals as well as an Afghanistan campaign medal. The highest award he has received is a commendation medal.
Rooting for the Packers
Living in southern Mississippi, getting Packers games on TV can be a challenge. However, Kuzicki generally makes it work to watch games.
When Kuzicki is on deployment, tuning in to Packers games adds another wrinkle with time zone differences. But that doesn’t deter him.
“No matter what country I’ve been deployed to, any opportunity I have, I’m watching Green Bay,” Kuzicki said.
Kuzicki’s favorite Packers and deployment story dates back to 2011.
“I was on a deployment in a pretty nice place in Palau and it was when the Packers went to the Super Bowl against the Steelers. We had to wake up at like 2 o’clock in the morning, because one of the guys I was there with was a Steelers fan, and you know how the talking can be amongst one another,” Kuzicki said. “We woke up early before muster just to watch the game. We just went at it the whole time just watching this game and just had a great time. Lo and behold, the Packers won, and I got to give it to him the rest of his deployment.”
It's tough to be deployed and thousands of miles removed from family, but being able to watch the Packers helps Kuzicki feel the comforts of home.
“That’s probably one of the biggest things, it makes you feel like you’re back home,” Kuzicki said. “It’s part of home, it’s that feeling back to you. It just makes life better because you’ve got the Green Bay Packers on the TV.”
Kuzicki’s mother-in-law has watched the effects the Packers have on him.
“Matt always seemed so quiet and reserved, not boastful, until I watched a Packer game with him,” Maszka said. “Their home was so filled with excitement, yelling and cheers. I was like, oh my gosh. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my god. Who are you and what did you do with Matt?’ He was totally a different person throughout that game. He and my daughter were born and raised Packers fans.”
‘Flabbergasted’
Kuzicki was excited to attend Sunday’s game with his wife and his parents.
“That’s probably my biggest thing is I get to bring my family along,” Kuzicki said. “I’m still flabbergasted that this is even happening to me. I still don’t think I realize what’s happening. From my mother-in-law to put this in and for me to be selected for this is just amazing. Being able to bring my family along is awesome, so I can’t thank (the Packers and WPS Health Solutions) enough for allowing that to happen.”
Kuzicki isn’t quite sure what the entire experience will be like. He’ll be on the field prior to the game, down with the players. He’ll also get recognized on the big board to the nearly 80,000 people that will be in attendance.
“I’m freaking out, honestly, because I don’t expect to be praised or anything like that,” Kuzicki said. “I’m just a guy doing my job, and here we are now, I’m all of a sudden going on Lambeau Field. It’s going to be crazy.”
The appearance of U.S. military visual information does not imply or constitute endorsement by the U.S. military.
