S. 3837: Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act

This legislation, titled the Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act, seeks to honor two individuals by designating two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics in Iowa after them. Specifically, the bill includes the following provisions:

Designation of Clinics

• Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar VA Clinic: The VA clinic located at 1211 East Army Post Road in Des Moines, Iowa, will be officially named the Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar VA Clinic. This designation acknowledges the service and sacrifice of Staff Sergeant Torres-Tovar, who was killed in action while serving in Syria on December 13, 2025.
• Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard VA Clinic: The outpatient clinic located at 201 East Merle Hibbs Boulevard in Marshalltown, Iowa, will be named the Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard VA Clinic. This is in honor of Staff Sergeant Howard, who also lost his life during combat missions in Syria on December 13, 2025.

Findings and Background

• Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar:
  • Born on October 17, 2000, in DeKalb, Illinois, and raised in Des Moines, Iowa.
  • Graduated from Dowling Catholic High School in 2019 and enlisted in the United States Army in 2019.
  • Served as a Cavalry Scout and completed deployments in Kosovo and Syria.
  • Awarded multiple honors for his service, including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and the Purple Heart.
• Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard:
  • Born on August 14, 1996, in Marshalltown, Iowa.
  • Graduated from Marshalltown High School in 2014 and enlisted in the Iowa National Guard at 17.
  • Also served as a Cavalry Scout, with deployments in Kosovo and Syria.
  • Received commendations that include the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and the Purple Heart.

Legal References

The bill stipulates that any references in U.S. laws, regulations, maps, documents, or other records to these clinics will be acknowledged as the newly designated names. This formalizes the recognition of the contributions made by Staff Sergeants Torres-Tovar and Howard in support of military operations.

Effective Date

The designations will take effect upon the enactment of this legislation.

Relevant Companies