(Tribune News Service) — Stephen Holland has been a Panthers fan since the team’s inception.

Now a military recruiter stationed in Wilmington, he’s even made the trip to Wofford College in Spartanburg for training camp.

Monday, Holland stood in line beside 100 other service members at the Panthers training facility outside Bank of America Stadium, receiving autographs and chatting with players from the team he grew up cherishing.

“It’s funny because, obviously, (they say) ‘don’t meet your heroes,’” Holland said. “It’s beyond meeting your heroes. You see these guys all the time on TV, it’s just really cool to see them as a human.”

The Panthers hosted locally based military service members, including Holland, at training camp Monday in collaboration with USAA, the team’s official Salute to Service partner.

As part of the USAA Salute to Service Boot Camp, 50 of the 100 service members trained like Panthers, participating in drills most commonly seen at the NFL Combine, such as the 40-yard dash, long jump and three-cone shuttle.

Participants were also able to watch the Panthers practice before the drills, afterward getting to meet some of the players.

The event is part of a larger effort on behalf of both USAA and the Panthers to “foster an understanding and appreciation for the local military community” while bringing service members closer to the game they love.

“Partnerships, specifically with teams like the Panthers, are just a great way to give back and connect a lot of our service members with their heroes,” USAA chief strategy and brand officer Ameesh Vakharia said. “(It’s) a chance for us to say thanks and for them to get out and experience what service in a different uniform looks like.”

Michael Faison played football at Baker University in Kansas. Now stationed at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., he notices similarities between the camaraderie and brotherhood created in a military environment and on the football field.

“The hard work that goes into it, the daily grind every day just to be able to be productive in this field of work, a lot goes into it,” Faison said. “It hurts. It’s not easy. Not everybody can do it or everybody would do it.”

Denesha Lomba, stationed out of Fort Gordon outside of Augusta, Georgia, said the 40-yard dash reminded her of timed drills she’s required to do every year for the Marines.

Though she isn’t too familiar with professional football, Lomba plays on the football team at Fort Gordon. After her experience on Monday, her opinions on the NFL have changed.

“I think after this I am a Panthers fan just because it was my first experience with like the NFL,” Lomba said. “It was more than I expected.”

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