A 24-year-old airman who had been stationed at Peterson Air Force Base was one of three servicemen killed Thursday in Afghanistan after an improvised explosive device blew up, authorities said.

Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler of Westminster, Md., was in southern Afghanistan when he was killed, according to a Peterson Air Force Base statement.

He was an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron.

He and the other two men were part of a road clearance team in Shir ghazi of Helmand province when their vehicle was struck by the roadside blast, according to a Department of Defense statement.

Also killed were Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, 23, of Erie, Pa., and Matthew S. Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, Mich., assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.

Seidler was the first airman in the 21st Space Wing to die in Iraq or Afghanistan, The Gazette in Colorado Springs reported. He was on his first overseas deployment.

"This is a tragic day for Team Pete, the 21st Space Wing, the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron and especially for Matt's family," said Col. Chris Crawford, 21st Space Wing commander. "We will come together to help Matt's family and friends through their grief."

Lt. Col. Mark Donnithorne, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron commander, said Seidler's fellow soldiers will never forget his sacrifice and dedication to his "critical, yet dangerous, mission."

Seidler, 24, entered active duty in November 2009. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Schwartz's brother-in-law, Jeff O'Brien, said Schwartz knew the dangers involved in serving but accepted them as "just part of the job." He grew up in Michigan, graduated from Traverse City Central High School in 1996 and served 12 years in the Air Force, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

He left for his sixth overseas deployment in October and would have been due home in March. Schwartz moved to Cheyenne in 2006, when he was transferred to Warren after a stint at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported.

He and his wife, Jennifer, had three daughters, ages 11, 8 and 6.

Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or twitter.com/kmitchellDP or blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases The Associated Press contributed to this report.