Introduction of Our AUSA RI Chapter President, LTC Ret, Sheri Boucher

by LTC Ret Dennis Morgan, State President

Our Chapter was in decline what with long serving Chapter leaders answering the Last Roll Call or no longer being able to actively participate. The decision was made to make an appeal to our membership for some one to step up and fill the office of Chapter President and save the Chapter from having to fold the flag. A reply arrived recommending Sheri Boucher. Since that was the only reply received, I asked Sheri to send me a bio which I found very impressive and shared it with the remaining members of the EXCOM. I then personally interviewed LTC Boucher and found her to be immensely qualified for the position. Shortly thereafter, we met with the EXCOM and the vote was unanimous for her appointment upon which I administered the Oath of Office on 15 June 2022.
 
President Boucher hit the ground running, organized the EXCOM, added some new dynamic members and attended AUSA's Chapter Leaders Course in DC. Later she attended AUSA's Annual Meeting also in DC and connected with First Region leaders resulting in some new initiatives for our consideration. This year she developed a working relationship with Army Reserve Ambassador for RI, Ernest Almonte and RI National Guard Chief of Staff COL Steven Guertin and will be attending this year's AUSA's Annual Meeting. 

I am proud to introduce you to our formidable RI Chapter President, LTC Sheri Boucher by way of some details of her life accomplishments:
 
Specialist-4 Boucher enlisted in the US Army Reserve in June 1990, and begin her basic training Ft Jackson, North Carolina soon after the Gulf War started. SPC4 Boucher was then assigned to Ft Sam Houston Texas, and received her advanced training, as a combat medic in the United States Army for two years while earning her LPN license. She returned home to RI and enrolled at Rhode Island college to further her education. During that time, she worked for the Veterans Administration.
 
Sgt Boucher first reserve assignment was with the 455th Field Hospital in Providence, RI and worked at the RI Hospital emergency room. In 1995 Sgt Boucher was again assigned by the army to an active-duty school to become a nursing instructor. Upon the completion of the school, in 1998 she was given a direct commission to Lieutenant and reassigned to 11th Battalion, 98th Regiment at Ft Devens Mass, where she began her career teaching a military run LPN program.
 
After five years of teaching for the Army, now Captain Boucher decided to join the Air Force and was transferred to the 439th Air Evacuation Squadron. Multiple air evacuation missions were flown throughout the United States and Germany totaling approximately 1000 career flight hours.  Major Boucher remained with that unit until her deployment to Afghanistan in 2012 with the 455th Air Evacuation Squadron. Upon completing her deployment, Major Boucher returned home. 

In 2017 she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and continued her military career. In 2021, LTC Boucher retired from the Air Force after 31 years of service as a flight Nurse and Assistant Chief Nurse.

In her civilian life, Sheri earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Northeastern University in 2021 and a Master of Science in Nursing Specializing in Education from Walden University in 2012.  

She currently holds a full-time position as an Assistant Professor of Maternal Child Health at Rhode Island College and is a registered nurse at Women & Infants Hospital neonatal intensive care unit. She is co-founder and Nurse Researcher for the Hunter Seven Foundation which assists post 9/11 veterans battling cancer.

I get tired just watching her! Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success. Let's give our new President all the support she deserves and let's all work together to make our Chapter one of the best in AUSA!