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Iowa VA facilities to be named in honor of Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Syria
Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Iowa National Guard officer, is introducing legislation that will name facilities in the soldiers’ hometowns of Des Moines and Marshalltown
Feb. 11, 2026 8:06 am, Updated: Feb. 11, 2026 11:34 am
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Veterans’ health care facilities in the hometowns of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in action last year in Syria will be named in their honor.
The Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Des Moines will be named the “Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar VA Clinic,” and the community-based outpatient clinic in Marshalltown will be named the “Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard VA Clinic” under legislation introduced by Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst.
Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, were killed in action Dec. 13 during a counterterrorism mission near Palmyra, Syria, when a lone gunman believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State opened fire on U.S. and partner forces.
“We owe Staff Sgts. Torres-Tovar and Howard a debt we can never repay,” Ernst, a former Iowa National Guard officer, said in a statement to The Gazette. “These brave Iowans paid the ultimate price while defending our nation’s freedoms, and now, it is our duty to ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten.”
A U.S. civilian interpreter also was killed in the attack, and three other Iowa National Guard members were wounded.
Torres-Tovar and Howard were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, and were deployed as part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria.
Ernst’s office said the legislation could be introduced as early as Wednesday. Iowa’s entire Congressional delegation is joining Ernst in honoring Torres-Tovar and Howard.
The legislation proposing to name the Iowa VA facilities in honor of Torres-Tovar and Howard is titled the “Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act,” and contains some biographical information about the soldiers.
For example, the bill notes that Torres-Tovar was a Dowling Catholic High School graduate and the first member of his family to serve in the military, and that Howard enlisted in the Iowa National Guard while still 17 years old and a senior at Marshalltown High School.
“I’m honored to lead this effort and tell the stories of (Howard’s and Torres-Tovar’s) service by designating places in their hometowns that will serve generations of Iowa veterans,” Ernst said. “The legacy of Iowa’s heroes will continue to live on.”
Iowa’s delegation previously honored Howard and Torres-Tovar with Congressional resolutions.
Howard and Torres-Tovar both were awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Combat Action Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal with Combat Device for heroic service in combat.
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com
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