KTIV.com -- The family of a 28-year-old Norfolk, Nebraska soldier is confirming his death.

Over the weekend, Sergeant Jacob Schmueker with the 755th Chemical Company out of O'Neill died in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq.

Family members said, Monday morning, Jacob Schmuecker had a deep love for his family and for his life in the military, in fact he wanted to make the military his career.

Schmuecker was a six-year veteran of the National Guard and left last September with the other members of the 755th Chemical Company in support of operation Iraqi Freedom.

During his military career, he had earned several awards and medals and also served one year overseas in Afghanistan and had recently signed up for another six years with military before he was deployed to Iraq.

Schmuecker was born in Kentucky and was adopted by the Schmuecker family who live in the Atkinson area. There, Jacob graduated from high school and was also part of the police force there in 2002 and 2003.

He has since moved to the Norfolk area where he lived with his wife Lisa of nearly five years and his three young children ages four, three and 19 months.

The last time Jacob Schmuecker was back in Norfolk was in March when he was back on leave.