'It is special every time'

For 26 years, John Wolfe has been a part of the Sullivan-Wallen American Legion Post No. 11 that provides the color guard for every home Green Bay Packers game. And whether it was his first game or the Packers’ most recent game with the Indianapolis Colts, Wolfe still feels the same strong emotions as he steps out in front of 80,000 fans at Lambeau Field.

“It is special every time,” Wolfe said. “I get choked up … when I hear the national anthem and I’m standing there with the Legion flag, with the American flag. It’s just very emotional. You can’t put it into words what it means.”

Post 11 has a relationship with the Packers dating back to the 1920s and included a time when Legionnaires provided staffing at home games, selling tickets and concessions, providing security and parking cars. The post also is one of the largest shareholders in the Packers – the only publicly owned NFL team – with more than 100 shares proudly displayed on a wall in the post.

And since the 1940s, Post 11 has served as the team’s permanent color guard, presenting the colors before every home game: preseason, regular season and playoffs. Members of Post 538 in Carlton, Wis., also are part of the color guard.

For 43 years, Legionnaire Mike Kelner was involved with or chaired the color guard as a member of Post 11. Kelner passed away in November 2015; his son, C.J., now serves as the color guard chairman.

“He wanted the legacy between the Packers and The American Legion to continue on, and his passion for the Packers and the Legion carried over to me,” C.J. said. “It’s something that I will do as long as they let me.”

C.J. remembers, as a boy, watching his dad head off to Packer games. “We even got to come with a couple times – usually during the cold games,” he said. “We would hold the jackets for the guys when they went out onto the field. There were a couple of times a brother of mine and I got to go up and raise the American flag during the national anthem when they still raised the flag.

“To me, it was the greatest thing. It was such an honor to be able to raise an American flag, but to do it at a Packer game, there’s no words to describe it.”

Wolfe said the city’s relationship with its football team adds to the enjoyment of attending the games. “It’s because of the closeness that the people have in this town with the association with the Green Bay Packers and the association with the fans,” he said. “This is one of the best fan bases in the world. There’s probably more fans of the Green Bay Packers than any other fan base in the nation for any other NFL team.”

But being a part of the pregame ceremony isn’t just about fun, Wolfe said. “I think it gives people the (idea) that The American Legion is part of the community,” he said. “And regardless of what event it is … we need to respect the flag and we need to show other people in other worlds that we have a symbol of freedom. A lot of people came to this country because of that symbol, and we need to respect that symbol.”

Fulfilling that mission is one of the reasons John “Jack” Gillis has served on the color guard for 35 years. And in a city known for its cold winter weather – where “the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field” is more than just an NFL Films intro – Gillis said he’s performed in temperatures as low as minus-20 degrees. But that never served as a deterrent for heading out on the field.

“It’s that important to do it – to let people know we are there,” he said. “It sends thrills to the spine.”

Rick Kelner, C.J.’s brother, has been a part of the color guard since the late 1980s. He has every ticket stub and every field pass from every game he’s attended, and hasn’t missed a game since 1990. And he still remembers the first time he was out on the field as a part of Post 11’s color guard.

“I was excited and nervous at the same time,” Rick said. “I had been waiting. I watched (my dad) as a kid growing up doing this all the time. When I joined the military I didn’t know if I’d ever get a chance to do the (post) color guard because you have to be invited.”

Like Wolfe, walking out onto Lambeau never gets old for Rick. “I’m always excited to go out on the field, see what’s going on, see the Packers and all the fans up in the stands,” he said. “And every game is almost like a new beginning. Different crowds bring different levels of excitement."

C.J. said he’ll be a part of the color guard as long as he’s allowed. But memories from any games down the road may not be able to top something that happened before his dad passed away.

“My greatest memory probably is three years ago,” he said. “It was my father and two of my brothers who are part of this color guard. We were all on the field at the same time. Due to work schedules that didn’t happen very often, so it was a great feeling."

But C.J. still feels his dad on the field “every game,” he said. “I look to him for guidance as soon as we start walking toward the tunnel. I couldn’t do it if I didn’t think he was there.”