Keloland -- A South Dakota career Army soldier has died while serving the country. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Vrooman was killed Tuesday in Baghdad after being hurt when an improvised explosive device went off while his unit was conducting combat operations. The 28 year old grew up in Sioux Falls and Mitchell.

Jeremy Vrooman's grandfather says this was Vrooman's second tour of duty in Iraq. He had just arrived there on June 19th, but Danny Vrooman says the 28 year old Sioux Falls native died doing a job he loved.

Jeremy Vrooman's family says they never thought they would live without him.

Jeremy's grandfather Danny Vrooman says, "You always think it's the other person's people you don't realize it can get so close to home."

Danny Vrooman only has two grandsons; Wednesday night the death of one of them is hitting home.

Vrooman says, "That's the price we all need to pay sometimes for living here in this country. How can you be free and have what we have here?"

Vrooman says Jeremy, who was a husband and father of two, left behind his family and paid the ultimate price doing what he loved, serving his country.

Vrooman says, "I knew he was doing what he believed in and I guess outside of the sadness for me I don't think there's any on his part. I think he died doing what he intended on doing what he felt was good for his country."

Vrooman was scheduled to be home from Iraq in October.

His older brother, Justin, was serving as a helicopter pilot in Iraq at the time of Jeremy's death. He is scheduled to return home Sunday.