Sailor and Niles native Benjamin Rast, 23, was killed April 6 by a drone airstrike in Afghanistan in a case of friendly-fire, NBC has reported.

Rast, a 2006 Brandywine graduate, and Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, a Marine from Arlington, Texas, were part of a Marine unit moving in to reinforce other Marines under heavy fire from enemy forces in the Helmand province.

The Star’s inquiries submitted to the military were not returned by presstime.

Services for Rast will be held at the Brandywine High School gym. The visitation will be held after school Friday from 4 to 8 p.m.; the funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. Hahn Funeral Homes in Mishawaka, Ind. is in charge of arrangements.

Gov. Rick Snyder was scheduled to meet with Rast’s father, Robert Rast, about services.

Rast will receive full military honors. Navy officials are expected to attend. The Indiana Department of Veterans will present the family an Indiana state flag on behalf of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, said Hahn funeral director Kevin Wirt.

Following the funeral, a procession from Brandywine to Fairview Cemetery in Mishawaka will be escorted by the Michigan State Police, South Bend police and Mishawaka police as well as the Patriot Guard.

Rast’s body is scheduled to arrive at the South Bend Regional Airport early this afternoon.

Rast deployed from Naval Medical Center San Diego Nov. 4, 2010 as part of the Health Service Augmentation Program (HSAP) assigned as a hospitalman to 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (forward deployed).

“He was a remarkable sailor who was respected by his peers and co-workers for his integrity and strong work ethic, and was frequently complimented by his patients for his outstanding customer service skills,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Pietro Martone, senior enlisted leader for Directorate for Nursing Services, in a press release. “We are saddened by this loss; Hospitalman Rast will be missed.”

Rast enlisted in the U.S. Navy April 1, 2009. He was assigned to Recruit Training Command (Great Lakes, Ill. April 1-June 2, 2009), then reported to Naval Hospital Corpsman School (Great Lakes, Ill. June 2 to Sept. 23, 2009) and onto Field Medical Service School at Camp Pendleton, Calif. (Oct. 13-Dec. 17, 2009) before reporting to NMCSD (Dec. 17, 2009).

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Pistol Marksmanship Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Rast is survived by his father, Robert Rast from South Bend and his stepfather, Jerome Tibone, Niles.

Naval Medical Center San Diego staff have been mourning the loss of Rast and have established an electronic memory book for staff as a way to share their private thoughts, memories and condolences, which will be compiled and provided as a tribute to Rast’s family.

Chaplain services are available around the clock to all NMCSD staff in need of comfort and prayer during this time of grievance.

Naval Medical Center San Diego is scheduled to host a memorial ceremony in honor of Rast later this month.

Rast is the second former Niles resident killed in Afghanistan in less than two years.

Sgt. Daniel Frazier, 25, born in Berrien Springs and formerly of Niles and St. Joseph, was killed in November 2009 in the Afghanistan province of Zabul during his second tour of duty with the U.S. Army, 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. His service was held in Niles and he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.