BRANSTAD ORDERS FLAGS TO HALF STAFF TUESDAY

Governor 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 was among five crew members killed March 11th in a helicopter crash in Kandahar province. His funeral is scheduled Tuesday in the Estherville High School gym.

Dozens of people have helped arrange more than 2,000 American flags in honor of  Blass. The flags were provided Thursday by Larry Eckhardt, of Little York, Ill., who goes by the nickname of "Flag Man."

He's done the same more than 100 times at other communities.

Blass was married and had a young son. Blass enlisted in the Army in 2006 and was on his second combat deployment.