In its mission to take history out of the textbooks by honoring local veterans, the Hampton Bays School District paid tribute to Bruce Docher during an annual fourth grade Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 8. The students both celebrated Veterans Day and honored Docher, who is being recognized at the school by having an American flag flown in his honor throughout November. Docher is the 80th veteran to be honored by the district since 2011.
As part of the ceremony, held at Hampton Bays Elementary School, students read Docher’s biography, spoke about the importance of Veterans Day and sang patriotic songs. Also in attendance were local officials.
After graduating college with a history degree in 1970, Docher decided to join the United States Navy and serve his country. Like so many other East Enders, he headed for Navy boot camp at the Great Lakes Training Facility in Illinois. While there, he and his fellow enlistees concentrated on learning as much as possible about being a U.S. sailor and demonstrated their accomplishments with his Company 214 being awarded the title of the Color Company. This recognition meant they were the outstanding company in that training cycle.
After basic training, Docher attended Basic Electricity and Electronics School and completed the U.S. Navy Fleet Sonar School (Ocean Systems) in Key West. The equipment he studied and learned to operate was part of the SOSUS (Sound Surveillance System) network of sonar detectors positioned in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans to detect Russian submarines sailing out of Russian naval bases.
After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy, Docher returned to school and attended the University of Oregon and Southampton College, studying marine science. In 1993, he received his Master of Business Administration in quality management from Dowling College.
His new career included working in state-of-the-art technology in word processing, digital photographic applications, high-resolution scanners, imaging setters, and transitioning from older business technology to information age technology. He worked in technical call centers with companies like AT&T, Olympus and Linotype. He also had expertise in the field of human engineering that required him to manage and develop training materials addressing rightsizing, hiring and transferring personnel. He finished his career working as an electrical inspector for Nassau and Suffolk counties for 11 years with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW Local 25).
At one point in his career, Docher served as a legislative assistant on Long Island, working on the advancement of solar energy. His contributions to society and the community continue today. He is active with St. Rosalie’s Church, the Boy Scouts of America and the American Legion Post 924, for which he serves as the “post adjunct.” He lives in Hampton Bays with his wife, Christine, of 47 years, with whom he has two sons and three grandchildren.
To read Docher’s full bio, visit https://www.hbschools.us/district/flag_ceremony.