Hays, 42, dies of wounds from improvised explosive device
JOAN BARRON Star-Tribune capital bureau | Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 12:00 am
CHEYENNE -- Capt. Bruce Hays of Cheyenne is the first Wyoming National Guard soldier killed in Afghanistan, the Guard announced Monday.
Hays, 42, was assigned to an Embedded Training Team to work with Afghanistan forces as a police mentoring team chief.
He died of wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Gerdia Seria, Afghanistan. Hays and the other members of the ETT arrived in Afghanistan mid-August, the Guard said in a release.
The Department of Defense announced that three other soldiers were killed in the explosion, including two members of the Illinois National Guard and a soldier assigned to Fort Benning, Ga.
Major Gen. Ed Wright, Wyoming's adjutant general, said Hays was an outstanding citizen soldier who dedicated more than 17 years to the United States Army.
"We send our deepest sympathies to his family. This is a tragedy that touched all of us in the Wyoming National Guard. Capt. Hays was a member of our own family," Wright said. "We are offering all of the support and resources we have to his family and fellow guardsmen working through the grieving process."
Hays was married and had two young children and three stepchildren, according to Brig. Gen. Olin Oedekoven.
It was Hays' first tour in the Mideast.
"Personally I've known Bruce for a long time," Oedekoven said.
Most recently Hays was the company commander of the Signal Company in Laramie, his second company level command tour.
"He was very well-respected and known throughout the organization as highly technical and competent. And perhaps more importantly, a very decent person who exemplified the army values of honor, integrity and service," Oedekoven said.
Hays, he added, "is a significant loss for our organization in terms of a leader who we respected, who we considered our friend."
Hays is the fifth Wyoming Army National Guard soldier to die while in service during the Global War on Terrorism and the 27th military service member with Wyoming ties.
Hayes had been a full-time member of the Wyoming National Guard since 2000, with prior Army and Air Force service.
He was part of the information management office and worked in technology.
Col. Greg Porter, chief of staff for the Army and Air Guard, said Hays was very quiet and soft spoken.
"A good person. A good man. A good soldier," Porter said.
Hays moved to Cheyenne when he joined the guard full time, Porter said.
Hays' family could not be reached by phone late Monday afternoon. Their phone number listed in the Cheyenne directory was disconnected.
Funeral service arrangements are pending.
Contact capital bureau reporter Joan Barron at (307) 632-1244 or joan.barron@trib.com