Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass of Estherville, who died in a Black Hawk crash March 11 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (image via Department of Defense)

Gov. Terry Branstad is ordering flags to fly at half-staff next week to honor an Iowa soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Branstad has ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to honor U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Steven Blass.

The 27-year-old from Estherville in northwest Iowa was among five crew members killed March 11 in a helicopter crash in Kandahar province. His funeral is scheduled Tuesday in the Estherville High School gym.

The Des Moines Register reports Blass was married and had a young son. Blass enlisted in the Army in 2006 and was on his second combat deployment.

Branstad’s order applies to all state-owned flags and those in federal government buildings in Iowa.