Ellsworth Air Force Base is holding a memorial ceremony for an airman who died in combat in Afghanistan.

The Thursday morning ceremony for Staff Sgt. Bryan Berky is not open to the public.

Berky, of Melrose, Fla., was one of three U.S. troops killed in an ambush September 12. He was a bomb disposal expert with the 28th Civilian Engineer Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth.

Berky's funeral is Saturday morning in Melrose.