The members of Iowa’s Congressional delegation are supporting a measure to re-name the main Cedar Rapids post office in honor of an Iowa National Guard soldier who died in Afghanistan. U-S Senator Joni Ernst, from Red Oak, talked about Sgt. 1st Class Terry L. Pasker during her weekly conference call with reporters. “Sergeant First Class Pasker was born in Anamosa, Iowa. He enlisted in the U-S Army in 1990, and later joined the Iowa National Guard in 1995. While serving in the guard, he served two tours in Afghanistan — in 2005 and 2011,” Ernst says.

The 39-year-old Pasker was killed in July of 2011 during his second tour in Afghanistan when an Afghan security officer shot and killed him at a roadway checkpoint.  “While we will never be able to say thank you enough to Sergeant First Class Pasker and his family. This post office would honor his legacy and serve as symbol throughout the community of his unwavering heroism” according to Ernst.

Ernst says the re-naming now just needs the approval of the rest of Congress. “It should not be a long process. It should be as simple as passing the legislation and that would rename the post office. We feel it’s the right thing to do for Sergeant Pasker,” Ernst says. The measure in the Senate sponsored by Ernst and Senator Chuck Grassley, is companion to a House bill introduced by Representative Rod Blum and co-sponsored by Iowa’s three other Representatives Dave Loebsack, David Young and Steve King. Pasker is survived by his wife, Erica; parents, Mary and David; brother, Andrew, and two sisters, Christine and Rebecca.

(Radio Iowa)