Updated at 8:30 p.m. CDT May 7, 2005

NEVADA — The Nevada High School Gym was filled by members of the Army National Guard 186th Military Police Company on Saturday afternoon. Family, friends and comrades gathered to honor the life of Sgt. Robert Jason Gore.

Gore was 23 when he was killed April 21 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was one of 11 civilians who died when the helicopter in which he was a passenger was shot down by insurgents in Iraq.

Pastor Scott Milsom was the officiant for the service. He said Gore had expressed to his family that, should he die, he would want his funeral to be a celebration of his homecoming. Milsom said the word “homecoming” had a double meaning — one of his physical return to Nevada, the other of his spiritual return to heaven.

“He’s just passing through the cemetery on his way home,” Milsom said.

Gore’s mother, Sue Selby-Gore, and his brother, Sean Gore, followed the casket down the aisle to the front of the gym, holding hands and crying. Their gaze remained on the American flag-covered casket.

Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Peterson, who was Gore’s platoon leader, said Gore would be remembered as a comrade, a soldier and a friend. He said Gore stood out as one of the best military police in his platoon.

Gore could tear down and put together weapons faster than anyone else, an important task when moving in Iraq, Peterson said. He said he tested Gore once by having him do the task blindfolded, which Gore did successfully.

“I couldn’t do that — I’ve been around here 15 years,” Peterson said.

Peterson said Gore loved his duty as a soldier and he will be remembered for his service.

“As you look down from heaven, know that I wear this uniform for you and people like you,” Peterson said in a prayer for Gore.

Gore grew up in Nevada before transferring to St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wis., for his last years of high school. He graduated in 2000 and enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard in June 2000 before starting at Iowa State.

Gore was a physics major while he was at Iowa State his freshman year. He lived in Fairchild House of Roberts Hall and worked as a security guard at North Grand Mall. Gore planned to return to Iowa State before applying for his dream job to become a member of the Green Berets.

Gore was deployed with his unit from February 2003 to May 2004. He returned to Iraq shortly after to perform a six-month tour of duty as a private security contractor for Blackwater USA, a civilian security company, when he died.

Todd Ziccarelli spoke at the service on behalf of the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.

“Jason exemplified the best of our country,” he said. “We could always count on him, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

He said Gore’s legacy of determination will continue through his family and colleagues.