In his annual address to the Legislature, the head of the Iowa National Guard paid tribute to two Iowa National Guard members killed in an attack in Syria last month and noted current Guard members' involvement in retaliatory strikes against suspected Islamic State targets.
Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn Osborn's address at the Iowa State Capitol on Thursday was his first speech to lawmakers since a gunman with suspected ties to the Islamic State killed Staff Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar and Staff Sgt. William Howard. They were the first overseas combat deaths for the Iowa National Guard since 2011. The attack injured three others and killed a U.S. civilian interpreter.
Osborn said he wanted to address a common question after the attacks that he called simple but important: "Why is the Guard in Syria?"
"The National Guard is no longer a strategic reserve to be utilized only in times of the most extreme national emergencies," he said. "We are — and will continue to be — the primary combat reserve for the United States Army and the United States Air."
With 95% of the Guard's funding coming from the U.S. Department of Defense, Osborn said the Iowa National Guard is an operational force that can serve alongside active duty military members, rather than an auxiliary or backup force.
In the beginning of his speech, Osborn honored the two fallen Iowa National Guard soldiers and recognized the three Guard members injured in the attack, who are recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.
"These Iowans represent the very best of our state and our nation," he said. "They stood as sentinels of freedom in a dangerous world, and we are forever indebted to them and to their families for their extraordinary service."
Osborn also thanked lawmakers, accompanying soldiers and Iowans for their support in the wake of the deaths of Howard and Torres-Tovar.
"You lined the streets. You waved the American flag," he said. "You stood in silent, patriotic tribute as we brought our soldiers home to their final resting place. Your actions spoke volumes, reminding us all what it truly means to be an Iowan."
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Osborn said the Iowa National Guard will not be increasing the number of members in Syria in the wake of the attack.
"As an army, as a nation, we're trying to reduce the U.S. footprint there, but certainly no increase," he said. "Matter of fact, the unit that's going to relieve our guys will come in with less people than what we brought in there."
Osborn said more than 1,800 Iowa soldiers and airmen are serving across the Middle East, with a majority serving in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, of which Howard and Torres-Tovar were a part.
In his speech, the adjutant general said Iowa airmen in the Middle East are providing direct air support for Operation Hawkeye Strike, a U.S. mission of retaliatory strikes against suspected Islamic State targets in Syria. Guard members based in Iowa are assisting with the mission through intel support.
New facilities upgrades underway
Osborn said the Guard received $220 million from the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act to upgrade a runway used by the Iowa National Guard in Sioux City.
The Guard will also break ground on a $14 million, federally-funded, equipment maintenance facility in Waterloo later this year. Construction began on a similar 25,000 square foot federally-funded facility in Sioux City in September.
The Guard also opened a Readiness Center in West Des Moines last May.
Osborn told reporters that 14 members of the Iowa National Guard are assisting ICE, providing administrative and logistical support.
The Guard also welcomed its first Kosovar citizen as part of its ranks this year, he said. Osborn said the individual is a lawful permanent resident seeking U.S. citizenship. The Guard has had a partnership with Kosovo Security Forces for almost 15 years.
This story was updated at 4:00 p.m. on Jan. 15 to clarify details on the Guard members serving on Operation Hawkeye Strike.
