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Marshalltown Today
By the People, for the People
Iowa VA Facilities Named After National Guard Soldiers Killed in Syria
Legislation introduced to honor Staff Sergeants Edgar Torres-Tovar and William Nathaniel Howard
Published on Feb. 11, 2026
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U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is introducing legislation to name VA health care facilities in Des Moines and Marshalltown, Iowa after two Iowa National Guard soldiers, Staff Sergeants Edgar Torres-Tovar and William Nathaniel Howard, who were killed in action last year during a counterterrorism mission in Syria.
Why it matters
The naming of these VA facilities honors the sacrifice and service of these two Iowa National Guard members who lost their lives defending the country. It ensures their legacy and heroism will be remembered by future generations of Iowa veterans.
The details
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'. Torres-Tovar and Howard were killed in action on December 13 during a counterterrorism mission near Palmyra, Syria when a gunman believed to be affiliated with ISIS opened fire on U.S. and partner forces.
- The legislation could be introduced as early as Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
- Torres-Tovar and Howard were killed in action on December 13, 2025.
The players
Joni Ernst
A U.S. Senator from Iowa and former Iowa National Guard officer who is introducing the legislation to name the VA facilities after the fallen soldiers.
Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar
A 25-year-old Iowa National Guard soldier from Des Moines who was killed in action in Syria in 2025.
Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard
A 29-year-old Iowa National Guard soldier from Marshalltown who was killed in action in Syria in 2025.
What they’re saying
“We owe Staff Sgts. Torres-Tovar and Howard a debt we can never repay. 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.”
— Joni Ernst, U.S. Senator (The Gazette)
What’s next
The legislation proposing to name the Iowa VA facilities in honor of Torres-Tovar and Howard, titled the 'Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act', could be introduced as early as Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
The takeaway
By naming VA facilities in the hometowns of these fallen Iowa National Guard soldiers, their service and sacrifice will be permanently memorialized, ensuring their legacy lives on and inspiring future generations of Iowa veterans.
