BAKERSFIELD -- Hundreds gathered at the Bakersfield National Cemetery Thursday morning to honor a local soldier killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Army Maj. Jason George, 38, was laid to rest with full military honors and accolades. He is the first soldier killed in combat to be laid to rest at the new national cemetery. Many of those in attendance considered him to be a local hero.

"Jason touched people in such a positive way that it helps reduce the pain of losing him," Mike Mason, his brother, said. "we all miss jason, and wonder what would've been."

"If we could, let's all please learn from Jason to live life to the fullest, try to be a peacekeeper when you can, and it's never too late to tell your loved ones that you love them," his other brother Kelly Mason said.

Maj. George was killed in Baghdad last May in an explosion. Two other soldiers and about 25 Iraqi civilians were also killed. Maj. George was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and a Meritorious Service Medal.

He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point and served in the elite Ranger unit until 2002. While on active reserve, he earned an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan and worked as a healthcare consultant for the renowned Deloitte consulting firm in Chicago when he was called up for service last April. He was about two weeks into his tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed. His family says his return to duty demonstrated a lot about his character and commitment to this country.

"I've learned that Jason accomplished far greater than any of those things," Mike Mason said. "Jason has left his spirit embedded in people's hearts in such a way that he'll never be forgotten."