The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs and the Iowa Veterans Home will honor two Iowa soldiers who lost their lives while serving their country with a special memorial bench dedication on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11.
The public dedication ceremony is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. at the entrance of the Sheeler Building on the Iowa Veterans Home campus in Marshalltown. The ceremony will honor Staff Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard of Marshalltown and Staff Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar of Des Moines.
Both soldiers served with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard. They were killed in action on December 13, 2025, while deployed in Palmyra, Syria, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
The memorial benches were constructed through a partnership with Iowa Prison Industries. Individuals at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville and the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City helped build the benches. They were delivered to the Iowa Veterans Home campus on November 6 and installed outside the Sheeler Building.
According to Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs Commandant Todd Jacobus, the benches will serve as a lasting tribute to the two soldiers and a daily reminder of their service and sacrifice.
Jacobus said their loss reaches communities across Iowa, from Marshalltown, where Howard grew up, to Des Moines, which Torres-Tovar called home. He added that the memorial will also ensure future generations of veterans living at the Iowa Veterans Home will continue to see their fellow soldiers honored and remembered.
The dedication will take place immediately following the Iowa Veterans Home’s annual Veterans Day ceremony, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Both events are open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend.
Veterans Day Ceremonies Across Iowa
The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs will hold two Veterans Day ceremonies on November 11:
- 8 a.m. – Iowa Veterans Cemetery: The official State of Iowa Veterans Day ceremony will take place at 34024 Veterans Memorial Drive in Adel. The program will be livestreamed on the IDVA YouTube channel.
- 10:30 a.m. – Iowa Veterans Home: The ceremony will be held at 1301 Summit Street in Marshalltown, alongside residents, leadership and staff. It will also be livestreamed on the IDVA YouTube channel.
- 11:45 a.m. – Memorial Bench Dedication: The public dedication honoring Staff Sgt. Howard and Staff Sgt. Torres-Tovar will take place outside the Sheeler Building entrance at the Iowa Veterans Home.
Mike Rowley to Serve as Keynote Speaker
In recognition of the nation’s upcoming America 250 milestone, Mike Rowley will serve as the keynote speaker for both Veterans Day ceremonies.
Rowley is known throughout Iowa and the region for his dedication to preserving American military history. He frequently attends military and veterans ceremonies wearing an authentic Revolutionary War uniform and educates the public about America’s early patriots and military beginnings.
He has authored more than 100 published articles and personally installed 452 headstones on the graves of unmarked veterans across seven states. The graves represent veterans who served in conflicts ranging from the Revolutionary War to modern-day military service.
Rowley also serves as Color Guard Commander for the Iowa Sons of the American Revolution. As the son of a World War II veteran, he remains committed to preserving the stories and sacrifices of those who served.
The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs encourages the public to attend this year’s Veterans Day events and join in honoring the men and women who have served our nation.
Admission is free, and the public is welcome.
Source: Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs.
