Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Kau'ilokoikaika Franklin Guard
Nicholas "Nick" Guard was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of Bruce Guard and Robbie Ann Kane. He grew up alongside brothers Kevin and Dylan. A natural athlete and scholar, he excelled academically and in sports at Kamehameha Schools, played saxophone, and spent countless hours skateboarding. He graduated in 2005 and went on to build one of the most distinguished military careers of his generation.
In 2006, Nick enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves on a Reconnaissance Marine contract. Even amid a leg fracture during boot camp, he was named Company Honorman — awarded to the single recruit out of 450–550 who best exemplifies discipline, proficiency, and leadership — as well as Company Iron Man. He later earned the Private Paul Ison Warrior Award at the School of Infantry, selected by his peers as the Marine they'd most want beside them in combat. By 2008, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After returning home, Nick met Cydney Fong in Hawaii. The two married and had two children, Mattix and Leilani, building a life that took them from Hawaii to North Dakota to California before settling in Washington State.
In 2015, Nick joined the U.S. Army under a Special Forces contract, completing the grueling qualification course on his first attempt to become a Green Beret in 2017. Assigned to 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), he deployed to Afghanistan in 2018, training Afghan security forces in counterinsurgency tactics. He later earned his Ranger Badge in 2019 — making sure to finish in time for his daughter's birth.
Much to the shock of his family and many friends, on June 20, 2022, at age 34, SFC Guard died in Washington State after struggling with the mental and physical impacts of his military service.
If you or someone you know are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (press 1 for the Veteran Crisis Line, press 2 for Spanish), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. You can learn more about suicide from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at afsp.org.