Army Capt. Hays was assigned to the Wyoming Joint Forces Headquarters, Wyoming Army National Guard, Cheyenne, Wyoming. He died in Gerdia Seria of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Bruce graduated in 1984 from Capitan High School in Capitan, New Mexico and immediately joined the Army. For eight years he served including a tour in Desert Storm. After leaving the Army, he attended New Mexico State University and was also employed at the Army Research Lab at White Sands Missile Range. In 1996 he graduated with honors with a degree in soil science. He was a surveyor with the USDA Soil Service and then was offered a commission in the Army National Guard. Bruce had arrived in Afghanistan in August and was a member of a military transition company that prepares small teams of U.S. soldiers, airmen and sailors to advise, teach and mentor their Iraqi or Afghan counterparts. Bruce was a great soldier and great leader – very quiet and soft spoken. He was well respected as a decent man with high values of honor, integrity and service. But most of all he will be remembered as an outstanding family man to his wife, Marie, and two daughters. At night, Bruce would keep the other soldiers up in the barracks as he talked and played chess with his 10 year old daughter over the wireless internet and webcam. He would also talk to his younger daughter and wife before signing off for the night usually spending an hour or more chatting with his family. Because everyone knew how much his family meant to him, no one ever complained – they didn't want to interrupt the special bond this family had.
Army Capt. Hays was assigned to the Wyoming Joint Forces Headquarters, Wyoming Army National Guard, Cheyenne, Wyoming. He died in Gerdia Seria of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Bruce graduated in 1984 from Capitan High School in Capitan, New Mexico and immediately joined the Army. For eight years he served including a tour in Desert Storm. After leaving the Army, he attended New Mexico State University and was also employed at the Army Research Lab at White Sands Missile Range. In 1996 he graduated with honors with a degree in soil science. He was a surveyor with the USDA Soil Service and then was offered a commission in the Army National Guard. Bruce had arrived in Afghanistan in August and was a member of a military transition company that prepares small teams of U.S. soldiers, airmen and sailors to advise, teach and mentor their Iraqi or Afghan counterparts. Bruce was a great soldier and great leader – very quiet and soft spoken. He was well respected as a decent man with high values of honor, integrity and service. But most of all he will be remembered as an outstanding family man to his wife, Marie, and two daughters. At night, Bruce would keep the other soldiers up in the barracks as he talked and played chess with his 10 year old daughter over the wireless internet and webcam. He would also talk to his younger daughter and wife before signing off for the night usually spending an hour or more chatting with his family. Because everyone knew how much his family meant to him, no one ever complained – they didn't want to interrupt the special bond this family had.
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