AUGUST 12, 2025 – The NFL’s Washington Commanders paused their usual training camp routine yesterday to host thousands of service members and their families for a military appreciation day, an invitation‑only session at the team’s practice facility that culminated in a joint‑service “Salute to Service” boot camp on the field.
Approximately 4,000 people attended the event this year, which is organized through the club’s Washington Salute program.
The event, closed to the general public, gave troops and families a close-up view of practice at the OrthoVirginia Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia, and then turned them into participants — running drills, doing physical training and competing side by side in NFL‑style drills led by club staff.
The boot camp has become a recurring feature of Commanders’ camp and similar NFL engagements, designed to honor and connect the military community with the team.
“It was a really good time to get out there and connect with other [military] branches — do a little PT, compete a little bit and show our Marines are the best,” said Marine Corps Cpl. James McGee assigned to 3rd Platoon, Guard Company, Marine Barracks Washington. “I joined the Marine Corps because a lot of my family served. They set a positive example of what a person should be — a call to duty — and it inspired me to do the same.”
Army Staff Sgt. Francesco Romero, a pianist with the U.S. Army Band, said the day offered a different kind of stage.
“It was amazing training in the Commanders’ facilities with partners from all the branches,” she said. “Joining the Army for me was a last‑minute decision but representing this country through music is an incredible opportunity — and stepping away from the piano to do PT with my fellow [service members] was just as motivating. I’m excited for this to happen again. Thank you, Commanders.”
For the team, the session was part of a larger, year‑round commitment to the region’s military community. Washington Salute — billed as the NFL’s first dedicated, team‑run military appreciation program — hosts events throughout the year, from VIP practice experiences to game day activations and USO partnerships.
Tickets for the military appreciation day were distributed through Washington Salute, and this year’s training camp also included several public practices on earlier dates.
The day’s emphasis on fitness and competition echoed Defense Department priorities laid out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has called for restoring a warrior ethos, raising standards — including physical fitness — and sustaining a merit‑based, combat‑credible force.
“Everything starts and ends with warriors in training and on the battlefield,” Hegseth said in recent remarks, underscoring a focus on readiness, accountability and meritocracy.
Events like “Salute to Service” boot camp aren’t unique to Washington; NFL clubs across the country have worked to bring uniformed personnel onto practice fields for combine‑style competitions. In past seasons, participating Marines and sailors described the purpose simply: to honor, empower and connect service members and their families — and to show appreciation in a tangible way.
By Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs