By Thom Stoddert
Veterans Voice
Born in Budapest, Hungary, while it was under communist control from Moscow, Paul Hardy became the very example of what a U.S. military NCO is to be: well-educated with two master’s degrees, able to read a Daily Bulletin while taking notes at a staff meeting and always caring for the young service members under him. He served as an example of leadership to everyone.
Was he perfect? Don’t think so. Once, on a night land-navigation training exercise, he entrusted the map to another soldier. Then, that soldier had an urgent need to separate himself from the team and headed out in the dark. Hardy had forgotten to ask for the map back.
The soldier completed his needs and realized the only paper he had was the map, so he tore it in half. When they were joined up together again, Hardy asked for the map and realized he had the useless half. Thus, he was forced to lead his team out of the Texas hills and brush country with no map, a useless compass and in the dark.
Upon retirement from the service, Hardy found the perfect job for himself and Madigan Army Medical Center, as the chief of patient advocacy. They needed an effective person and he loved helping people. Soon he made the Office of Patient’s Advocacy one of the most effective offices and the hospital staff held him in the highest regards. Still, as Hardy had no patience with the abusive corrupt government of his place of birth in Hungary, he had little patience with his civilian supervisor at Madigan.
Hardy had caught the boss breaking federal Human Resource laws. When he discussed it with her, she denied it and then blamed others. So, Hardy took it to a meeting with the deputy commander and lawyers, where again she denied the accusations. The colonel attempted to make excuses for her, but Hardy would have none of it. Without mincing words, he called her for what she was, in front of everyone, and then put the damning evidence on the table. Thus, the Office of Patient Advocacy was removed from under the supervision of the Quality Assurance Division and the Risk Management Department, resulting in greater efficiency to the command structure.
At Hardy’s military retirement ceremony, soldier after soldier testified to his straightforwardness, balance and his focus on the mission at the same time putting the young service members first. As the senior NCO in the Nursing Department, he proved he was George Patton and Joe Dufflebag rolled into one. All ranks came to him for help; his office door was always open.
To this day, Hardy gets calls and emails from men and women he was stationed with decades ago and he makes them feel they were the most important person he knew — an example of real military leadership.
