🌺 Dakine on the Incline 2026 ⚔️ 

“MIDNIGHT MADNESS”

May 22–23, 2026.

Dakine on the Incline returns.

24 hours.
Sunset to Sunset.
Team relay. (4/2/Solo Ops)

No aid stations.
No frills.
Just stairs, headlamps, and a celebration of our nation’s finest the only way we know how. Suffering on the stairs.

In Memory of SFC Nicholas KF GuardNick's Bio is below:

SFC Nicholas KF Guard
DOB: 11/23/1987
EXFIL: 06/20/2022

HUMOR - HUMILITY - KINDNESS

Sergeant First Class Nicholas Guard was born on November 23, 1987, in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. He passed on June 20, 2022, in Puyallup, Washington. Nick served as Weapons Sergeant and was assigned to SFOD-A 1325, 1st Special Forces Group at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Tacoma, Washington.

Nick was an exceptional husband and father, son, grandson, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. He was not only a brother to his siblings, but also a brother-in-arms to his teammates, first in the Marines and then as a Green Beret in the Army Special Forces, and a brother bonded through friendships made at school.

Nick graduated from Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu in 2005. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves shortly after high school. Even after suffering a leg fracture in boot camp and having to join up with another squad after healing, Nick ended up as the Company Honorman and Iron Man. In Infantry School at Pendleton, California, he received the Private Paul Ison Warrior Award, “given to the Marine chosen by his fellow students as the one Marine they would most like to serve with in combat.” In 2007, he was selected for the Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance and deployed to Iraq with his team in 2008.

In 2015, Nick transferred to the Army and completed the Special Forces Qualifications course, becoming a Green Beret in 2016. In 2017, Nick was named a Silent Eagle “Modern NINJA” Distinguished Operator when training with the Special Operations Group in Japan. In 2018, Nick deployed with his team to Afghanistan. Never being one to miss an opportunity to improve, Nick then completed Ranger School in June 2019.
When serving our country, he was focused, committed and tough as nails. When home, he was a loving and deeply caring husband and father. He was a rock, role model and mentor for many, and respected and trusted as a leader. He was the best in class. Fast, strong as an ox, strictly fit for business. He had a strangely funny sense of humor, and he was comically, and seriously, artistic in many ways from a young age. He was the first son and the first grandson of his Hawai‘i ‘ohana (family). He was a raging bull as a baby with such a strong and masculine name and the personality to go with it—the family called him “baby Hulk.” But he was always polite, a gentleman at heart. He helped shape his brothers to be strong, kind, and caring, to push themselves to their limits and to never back down.

Character Strength Story:
HUMOR - He was always laughing and joking. He would wake up listening to comedy on his phone. I would be like, "Really? It is too early for that buggha." We would stay up late watching comedy skits from some of his favorite comedians. He was so lighthearted and found humor in everything. Our baby girl once threw a fork on the ground because she was mad she did not get the Minnie Mouse fork. I was about to scold her when I looked over at Nick and he could not contain himself. He was laughing and loving Leilani's attitude and the fact that this little girl would get so mad over the wrong fork.

HUMILITY - He was so humble about his efforts. I think he was good at anything he tried. He was one of the fastest on his team in running, rucking, WODs, or whatever else they did. He never acted like he was the best though. He didn't go shooting at the range except for when he was at work. Despite his lack of practice, he was still one of the top shooters and even earned that award amongst his teammates. He didn't brag about it, but he was proud of himself. He passed Dive school and became a dive supervisor the first time. He didn't have to repeat any of the phases in the Q course. He passed Ranger school without any repeats. He was naturally so good at everything.

KINDNESS - He was genuinely curious about everyone he met. I think he single-handedly made our awkward team more of a family, with his Hawaiian welcomeness and Aloha. We had several team parties at our house. He would BBQ and made sure everyone got enough to eat. Most of the husbands don't take the time to get to know the wives. Nick would go around talking to them and making them feel welcome. He genuinely cared about everyone and was often putting others' needs before his own.

(—Submitted by Cydney, Surviving Wife)

Our “Why” - Written by Trevor Murray, Green Beret.

When I think about what this event represents and where it comes from, there is no greater representation of who this arduous event will pay homage to than my brother and friend, Nicholas Kau’ilokoikaika Franklin Guard.

Nick was and is everything that I wanted to be as a Green Beret. He was the epitome of a warrior, a patriot, a brother, a friend, an amazing father and a steadfast husband. He was always happy and smiling, but especially happy and grinning from ear to ear when we were suffering. He loved “The Suck” as it’s where he thrived. He couldn’t get enough of it. I’ll never forget one day during SLC in the middle of the summer in North Carolina when he insisted we go do sled pushes and a nasty grinder workout in the only gym that had just lost its A/C and had turned in to an impromptu sauna. Nick, this effort is for you my brother.

Far too often I feel we neglect to honor our warriors that we have lost to their own internal battles back home, even after they have made it off the battlefield and back to us. But in reality they don’t completely make it back home. Nick lost his battle two summers ago after serving this country valiantly for many years as both a Force Recon Marine and a Green Beret. He was and is the best of us, yet Nick and those like him are many times neglected in the honoring and commemoration of this month and what it represents.

We say "no more". This one is for you and those like you, Brother. We are here to honor all of our warriors and patriots we have lost serving our great nation, especially those whose stories rarely get told. These families are left just as lost and broken as our Gold Stars, yet get left to deal with the aftermath of the loss with little to no support either because of the stigma or just shear unwillingness to recognize the systemic problem we have in our community. That stops for me this month and here forward.

I am honored and privileged to introduce you all to our honoree of the month, and the motivation behind this 24-hour event. "Dakine on the Incline" will pay homage to Nick's life and legacy, as well as honor his beautiful family, allow us to tell his story and tell the story of those like him.

We will continue to honor our warriors throughout the month, but I couldn't be more proud and honored to have Nick's wife bless off on this event and what it represents. Let's use this month to speak their names and honor their legacy, lest we forget. DOL.

The Special Forces Foundation is a tax-exempt non-profit organization supporting U.S. Army Special Forces and their families through programs aligned with the POTFF program. We help maintain the mental and physical well-being of Green Berets and offer support for psychological, emotional, and relationship issues. Learn more.

Dakine on the Incline 2026

Memorial Day Workout Benefitting Special Forces Foundation

Team Members