Pasker's body arrives in Cedar Rapids

The body of Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker arrived at The Eastern Iowa Airport Friday morning, in preparation for his funeral Monday.

Pasker, 39, of Cedar Rapids, was going through a routine security checkpoint in an armored vehicle Saturday when an Afghan National Directorate security officer inexplicably attacked with small-arms fire, according to Col. Greg Hapgood of the Iowa National Guard. The attack happened around 9:30 a.m. local Afghanistan time in the Panjshir province near a reconstruction site.

Pasker and an unidentified American civilian law enforcement contractor who was with him in the vehicle were killed.

Pasker, the fourth Iowa Army National Guard soldier killed in Afghanistan this year, was among nearly 3,000 Iowa soldiers who have been supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Master Sgt. Todd Eipperle of Marshalltown was driving an armored vehicle in front of Pasker's vehicle when the attack occurred. He stopped as soon as the shots were fired and exchanged gunfire with the Afghan security officer, killing him. Eipperle was wounded in the attack, but is recovering.

Pasker's funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the River of Life Ministries, with burial at Mount Calvary Cemetery, also in Cedar Rapids.

Visitation is Sunday at Murdoch Funeral Home in Marion.

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