Incirlik Airmen participate in the world's largest multi-day marching event July 26, 2026

Orange and green flags hung from storefronts, balconies and streetlights as lawn chairs lined neighborhood streets. Restaurants, hotels and camps filled with visitors from around the world, and nearly every conversation with a local began the same way:

"Are you here for the Four Days Marches?"

For a team of Airmen from the 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Turkiye, the answer was “yes”.

Over the next four days, they would march alongside thousands of military and civilian participants in the 108th International Four Days Marches, known locally as the Vierdaagse, or "Walk of the World." The event brought together 47,000 registered participants, including 6,455 military members representing 38 nations, for nearly 100 miles of marching through one of the Netherlands' longest-standing military traditions.

Led by U.S. Air Force Capt. Nicholas Niazian, 39th ABW executive officer, the team joined more than 500 U.S. military participants from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard. For the Airmen, the march represented more than an endurance event; it served as an opportunity to demonstrate the physical readiness, mental resilience and teamwork required to execute the 39th ABW mission anywhere in the world.

Niazian first learned about the Four Days Marches while stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, five years ago. The thought of it stayed with him, and after arriving at Incirlik, he immediately started assembling a team.

"I'm a huge supporter of what we do every day by serving alongside our Allies," Niazian said. "When I learned there was an event where military members from NATO nations come together to march, built around determination, grit and camaraderie, I knew I had to do it."

Shortly after arriving at Incirlik, Niazian pitched the idea to leadership and started creating a team.

Throughout the week, the team of 12 lived alongside military participants from across the globe at Kamp Heumensoord, a temporary Dutch military camp that serves as home to thousands of military marchers each year. Between long days on the route, the camp became a place to recover, exchange stories and build friendships with the other service members.

After arriving at the camp on July 19, 2026, the Airmen in-processed, made their beds and transformed their assigned sleeping areas into makeshift homes for the week. American flags, squadron stickers and unit memorabilia decorated the tents while rucksacks were packed, boots were checked one last time and feet were taped in preparation for the challenge ahead.

Military tradition filled the camp throughout the week. Opening ceremonies, receptions and long-standing customs brought together service members from around the world before the first mile was ever walked. Participants traded unit patches, shared meals and built friendships between the rows of tents, creating connections that extended beyond uniforms, languages and nationalities.

Those traditions reflect the military heritage that has defined the Four Days Marches for more than a century.

Founded in 1909 as a military readiness march for Dutch service members, the Four Days Marches has grown into the world's largest multi-day walking event while remaining deeply connected to its military roots. Today, military members from around the world continue that tradition by marching shoulder to shoulder, reinforcing the relationships that contribute to regional stability across Europe.

Before sunrise on July 21, reveille echoed through the air as thousands of military participants prepared to step off. Boots were laced, rucksacks were shouldered and participants departed for their designated start locations, beginning the first of four consecutive days marching through Nijmegen and the surrounding area.
Each day, the 39th ABW team marched approximately 25 miles through small villages, farmland and city streets before returning to camp to prepare for the next day's route.

Along the way, an estimated 2.5 million spectators transformed the march into a city-wide celebration. Streets were lined with cheering families, music echoed through neighborhoods and residents handed out water, snacks and words of encouragement from front yards and sidewalks. Live music and performance stages energized participants throughout the route, especially during the final day's march into Nijmegen.

Just before the final stretch to the finish line, the team received one last boost when they were invited onto a large stage to celebrate with performers, DJs and fellow participants.

"I looked back at the team and said, 'We're getting on that stage,'" said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Blair Pembleton, 39th Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer. "Without hesitation, the entire team climbed onstage, waving our flag and dancing alongside the other teams. It gave us the push we needed to finish those last few miles."

While the crowds helped lift spirits, completing nearly 100 miles over four days with a 20-pound rucksack remained a demanding test of physical endurance, mental resilience and teamwork.

By the end of each day, sore feet, aching shoulders and tired legs had become routine. Blisters were treated, uniforms were hand-washed and rucksacks were repacked before participants climbed into their cots, only to wake before sunrise and do it all again the next morning.

"We chose to take on something difficult together as a team," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Fabrizzio Ulate, 39 SFS training instructor. "Every one of us had moments when we needed help, and every one of us had moments when we were able to help someone else. Whether it was sharing food, water or supplies, or simply encouraging someone through a tough stretch, we got to the finish line together."

Beyond testing endurance, the march demonstrated that interoperability begins with people. By marching side-by-side with Dutch and other Allied forces, living together at Kamp Heumensoord, and sharing the challenges of the event, the 39th ABW team strengthened bonds which enable multinational forces to operate as a single, cohesive team wherever and wherever they are called upon.

"It didn't matter which country's team you were walking with," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Melissa Gunderson, 39th SFS standards and evaluations noncommissioned officer in charge. "As soon as 'Country Roads' or '500 Miles' came on, the whole road turned into one big singalong. It made the miles go by a little faster and made an already unforgettable experience even more fun."

On the fourth and final day, after more than 215,000 steps, the team entered Nijmegen for the traditional finish along the Via Gladiola. Streets were packed with cheering spectators as participants were showered with gladiolus flowers, a long-standing symbol of strength, perseverance and victory.

Military participants who successfully completed all four days earned the bright yellow Vierdaagse Cross, recognizing the successful completion of nearly 100 miles on foot.

For the 39th ABW team, the Four Days Marches was more than a fitness event-they demonstrated the resilience and wingmanship required to project power, deter aggression, and ensure regional stability across the European theater. More than 80 years after the Allies helped liberate the Nijmegen region, Airmen from Incirlik AB honored that legacy, reinforcing that the Alliance's greatest strength is built not only through combined operations, but through the friendships forged between those who serve.