USAA and the Denver Broncos teamed up to host "USAA's Salute to Service NFL Boot Camp" on Thurday afternoon.
Fifty Colorado based military service members had a once in a lifetime opportunity to train like Broncos.
Quarterback Russell Wilson and his teammates spent time after practice signing autographs and taking pictures with the men and women who serve our country.
Wilson took it one step further, awarding a few members 100 dollars if they could hit the field goal post with a pass.
One member of the Air Force, Nicholas Nelson proved he had good aim and went home with a Russell Wilson signed one-hundred dollar bill.
"Words are kind of really hard to describe in a moment like that," Nelson said. "For him {Wilson} to spend as much time as he did with us and to get that interaction, it meant the world to us."
Other service members echoed those sentiments saying Wilson was "down to earth".
Five different branches of local military were represented in this years boot camp: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Space Force.
"This is an excellent experience," U.S. Army member Kyle Kravitch said. "All the soldiers are loving it and we're just so grateful for the partnerships."
The boot camp is basically a mini NFL Combine and it featured five different football drills.
"I would say it's a little bit more intense {than Air Force training}, we have to train for the Air Force but I don't have to run 40's much," Nelson laughed.
Military appreciation events like this give the active duty service members a chance to enjoy themselves and it reminds them that the sports community has their back.
"It's a chance to really empower our veteran service and military service organizations," 27-year Air Force veteran David Morrissey said. "And it's also about connecting the NFL, the players and the fans to our great men and women in uniform."
