Former Rockford soldier gets patched

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Williams Portis, a private in the Iowa National Guard, received his unit patch at a ceremony with approximately 45 other soldiers Feb. 13.

The ceremony was held at the Camp Dodge Joint Maneuver Training Center in Johnston.

The ceremony was part of a time-honored tradition, where Iowa citizen-soldiers officially receive the left-shoulder military patch representing their unit of assignment in the Iowa Army National Guard, according to a press release from the National Guard.

Portis is joining the 1st Battalion 133rd Infantry Regiment as an Army medic.

He went to boot camp in June 2017.

“I joined the army as a combat medic when I was a junior in high school,” Portis said. “I decided I wanted to join the National Guard to help pay for college and I liked the sound of it.”

Portis trained at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. For 16 weeks he trained in combat casualty care in both the classrooms and the field.

“We did ruck marching, you learn basic life support and how to put in IVs,” Portis said.

During the ruck marches, Portis would carry his vest, aid bag and helmet all totaling around 50 pounds of gear for up to 12 miles.

“At the end to finish it, we did a two-week field exercise,” he said.

During that exercise Portis slept in a tent, and practiced combat casualty care in a simulated combat environment.

In August, Portis will be attending the University of Iowa for a pre-medical degree. He wants to be a doctor.

After he got back from training he moved to Mason City and is working at a factory there.

“I got back a month ago,” Portis said. “Right now I’m just working.”

After completing his degree Portis is considering going from being enlisted soldier to being commissioned as an officer.

He graduated from Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock High School last year and wrestled there.

The patch marks a soldier’s completion of the Iowa National Guard Recruit Sustainment Program, a preparatory training program that provides new recruits the education and skills needed to excel during their Army Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, the Guard said.