Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Bouches was honored to be NHRA Hometown Hero in 2012.
He was thrilled to meet Tony Schumacher in person. Bouches passed away from cancer July 15, 2015.
The Battle is Over
Cancer takes the life of Soldier, Recruiter, Husband, Dad
Story and photos by Catherine Pauley, USAREC, Sacramento Battalion
August 4, 2015
When Sgt. 1st Class Jason Marshall reported to the Auburn Recruiting Center in 2013, the first words out of the Center Leader Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Bouches’ mouth were, “I hope you are ready to run this center because I have cancer.”
Bouches lost his battle on July 15, surrounded by his wife, Traci, and their three children, Kaylie, Teagan and Ryan. The Sacramento Recruiting Battalion held a military memorial service July 31 in Sacramento, Calif.
Bouches’ battle started in June 2013, at the urging of his wife, he went to get a mole checked out. It was of irregular shape and Traci Bouches thought it just didn’t look right. After the doctor appointment, it came back positive for melanoma. After his surgery, Bouches had to undergo a form of chemotherapy called “pyglated interferon” where he got an injection in his abdominal region every week. It doesn’t kill the cancer, but helps your body fight the spread.
The treatment was painful for Bouches, but he insisted on coming to work when he could, but as a minimum, he worked from home.
“Ray was fighting for his life and fighting to fill the ranks of this great Army,” said Marshall, who was one of the speakers at the memorial service.
During his ongoing fight with the cancer, Bouches said he let his fellow Soldiers know what was going on in regards to his health.
“I like to be an open book,” he said during a 2014 interview. “If I’m going to miss work, I want my team to know that’s it’s not just because I have something better to do. I want them to know everything that’s going on.”
Lt. Col. John Crisafulli, Sacramento Recruiting Battalion Commander, spoke about Bouches love of NASCAR and NHRA. He was the Hometown Hero at the 2013 National Hot Rod Association event in Sonoma, Calif.
“He was so excited to meet Tony Schumacher [the Army NHRA driver], and to be able to watch drag racing up close on the track,” said Crisafulli. “You would have never known he was the guest of honor that day.”
Crisafulli also remarked about his work ethic. He said Bouches’ pain management was becoming increasingly more difficult as recent as the late winter but he was a true professional.
“He devoted much of his time to help train and assist the Fair Oaks Center Leader,” said Crisafulli. “He was always a professional with genuine dedication and heart.”
Capt. Alexander Walker took command of the Sacramento Recruiting Co. in June 2014 and noticed right away that Bouches was not around as often as the other Center Leaders. His non-commissioned officers told him about Bouches’ fight with cancer.
The next day, Bouches came into Walker’s office, sat down, and told him, “Sir, do not count on me too much because I have cancer and I spend more time in treatment than in the office. Sgt. 1st Class Marshall is in charge, and that’s why we are doing the way we are doing on the mission,” remembered Walker.
Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Bouches is laid to rest at a Lincoln, Calif., cemetery.
Public Affairs Specialist J. Paul Bruton contributed to this story.
Cancer takes the life of Soldier, Recruiter, Husband, Dad
Story and photos by Catherine Pauley, USAREC, Sacramento Battalion
August 4, 2015
When Sgt. 1st Class Jason Marshall reported to the Auburn Recruiting Center in 2013, the first words out of the Center Leader Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Bouches’ mouth were, “I hope you are ready to run this center because I have cancer.”
Bouches lost his battle on July 15, surrounded by his wife, Traci, and their three children, Kaylie, Teagan and Ryan. The Sacramento Recruiting Battalion held a military memorial service July 31 in Sacramento, Calif.
Bouches’ battle started in June 2013, at the urging of his wife, he went to get a mole checked out. It was of irregular shape and Traci Bouches thought it just didn’t look right. After the doctor appointment, it came back positive for melanoma. After his surgery, Bouches had to undergo a form of chemotherapy called “pyglated interferon” where he got an injection in his abdominal region every week. It doesn’t kill the cancer, but helps your body fight the spread.
The treatment was painful for Bouches, but he insisted on coming to work when he could, but as a minimum, he worked from home.
“Ray was fighting for his life and fighting to fill the ranks of this great Army,” said Marshall, who was one of the speakers at the memorial service.
During his ongoing fight with the cancer, Bouches said he let his fellow Soldiers know what was going on in regards to his health.
“I like to be an open book,” he said during a 2014 interview. “If I’m going to miss work, I want my team to know that’s it’s not just because I have something better to do. I want them to know everything that’s going on.”
Lt. Col. John Crisafulli, Sacramento Recruiting Battalion Commander, spoke about Bouches love of NASCAR and NHRA. He was the Hometown Hero at the 2013 National Hot Rod Association event in Sonoma, Calif.
“He was so excited to meet Tony Schumacher [the Army NHRA driver], and to be able to watch drag racing up close on the track,” said Crisafulli. “You would have never known he was the guest of honor that day.”
Crisafulli also remarked about his work ethic. He said Bouches’ pain management was becoming increasingly more difficult as recent as the late winter but he was a true professional.
“He devoted much of his time to help train and assist the Fair Oaks Center Leader,” said Crisafulli. “He was always a professional with genuine dedication and heart.”
Capt. Alexander Walker took command of the Sacramento Recruiting Co. in June 2014 and noticed right away that Bouches was not around as often as the other Center Leaders. His non-commissioned officers told him about Bouches’ fight with cancer.
The next day, Bouches came into Walker’s office, sat down, and told him, “Sir, do not count on me too much because I have cancer and I spend more time in treatment than in the office. Sgt. 1st Class Marshall is in charge, and that’s why we are doing the way we are doing on the mission,” remembered Walker.
Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Bouches is laid to rest at a Lincoln, Calif., cemetery.
Public Affairs Specialist J. Paul Bruton contributed to this story.
Chaplain - Maj. Daniel Kersey, 6th Recruiting Brigade, led the military memorial service July 31 honoring Bouches military service
Following the completion of the service, the family came forward to their husband and dad's memorial.
Left to right: Traci Bouches, Teagan, Kaylie and Ryan