Serving country and community
Baptist Health Hardin. November 11, 2026
ELIZABETHTOWN, KY (Nov. 6, 2026) – Veterans Day is a time to thank those who served in the military, sacrificing home, family and safety to protect our freedom. It is not a sacrifice undertaken lightly; it comes at a cost – the cost of separation from loved ones, the physical distance from home and the potential for dangerous and deadly situations.
For many veterans, service is a lifelong commitment, continuing on even when their time in the armed forces is done.
For three Baptist Health Hardin team members, the values learned in uniform continue to shape how they lead, care for others and serve the community today.
For Tom Carrico, Mary Bauer and C.J. Hayko, military service provided more than training and experience. It shaped the values that continue to guide their work, leadership and commitment to patients and the community.
Tom Carrico, the hospital’s vice president of operations, joined the U.S. Navy after completing two years of college, seeking leadership opportunities and a greater sense of purpose. Following in the footsteps of his father, who also served in the Navy, he enlisted as a Data Specialist and was assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Norfolk, VA.
The experience was a positive one, and he appreciated the opportunity, as a young man, to travel to some of the world’s most beautiful places, such as France, Spain, Italy and England.
During his four years of service, Carrico deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. One memory stands out vividly. Just days before the end of what was expected to be a routine six-month Mediterranean deployment, his ship received orders to prepare for a potential conflict. Within 72 hours, its journey was underway – through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. Carrico said traveling through the Suez Canal was the only time he truly felt vulnerable. As the carrier moved through the narrow waterway for nearly 16 hours, he recalled feeling like a "sitting duck."
He also recalled a fellow shipmate sleepwalking off a platform and falling overboard into rugged waves. Though the man was rescued, it was an experience that Carrico never forgot.
Carrico’s time in the Navy reinforced lessons that continue to influence both his professional and personal life.
"The discipline necessary to excel in the military, regardless of where you are, instilled in me that same discipline to excel and try to be as highly competent as possible," Carrico said.
He credits the military with helping him develop leadership skills early in life and says the same spirit of service that motivated him to serve his country continues to influence his work serving patients today.
Carrico was heavily involved in the construction of the medical complex at John Rowan Blvd. in Bardstown, as well as the Baptist Health Hardin Medical Pavilion, which opened in 2024. He was also instrumental in bringing the world’s first-in-human clinical trials for 4D Mammography to the hospital, an effort that reflects his belief in serving something larger than oneself. By participating in groundbreaking research, Baptist Health Hardin is helping advance potential improvements in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment that could benefit patients locally and beyond.
Carrico, a 29-year Baptist Health employee who transferred to Baptist Health Hardin (then Hardin Memorial Hospital) in 2012, said, “I love the people here. That’s what sets this organization apart. Our leaders think about how we enrich our culture and make people feel valued.”
Unlike some service members, Mary Bauer, Behavioral Health manager, was not raised in a military family. However, her uncle served in the military and was shot down over Germany.
Bauer honored his memory at a wreath ceremony at the hospital last year, speaking of his bravery and sacrifice.
Bauer began her military service while attending college. She joined an ROTC program and earned a scholarship, launching a military career that would span 13 years.
As a young Army lieutenant, Bauer was responsible for approximately 130 soldiers, an experience that taught leadership lessons she still relies on today. She served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq as part of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Italy and Afghanistan, as well as Germany and Kosovo, where she served in leadership and logistics roles supporting military operations throughout Europe.
She remembered in detail, sitting in secure rooms while commanders from all over Europe coordinated activities that were still months away, and yet they considered every detail, every person, every family, every child.
Bauer believes that honoring the fallen is very important. “We also do that here at Baptist,” she said, referring to activities centered around patriotic holidays and the hospital’s Honor Walk program, which is available to families of veterans who pass away in the hospital.
Among her most meaningful memories are participating in the 60th anniversary of D-Day commemorations and in the Memorial Day ceremony at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in St. Avold, France. Those experiences reinforced the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by generations of service members.
The military also helped shape her approach to leadership and excellence.
"The military taught me to strive for excellence, not average," Bauer said. Today, those same values influence her work at Baptist Health Hardin. Bauer was very involved in the Ambassadors of Excellence program, which recognizes nursing staff for excellence.
Bauer also helped launch the nurse residency program and led the efforts to develop the hospital's new Intensive Outpatient Program, which launched earlier this year. The program, created to provide additional support for people in recovery, helps to bridge the gap between inpatient behavioral health treatment and ongoing outpatient care.
"Seeing what the entire continuum of care is supposed to look like is really the inspiration for me," Bauer said. "If we have that entire continuum built, then we have a safety net for people."
For Laboratory Director C. J. Hayko, service remains an active part of his life.
He joined the Army at age 18, eager to see the world. Ironically, his first duty station was Fort Knox, “close enough (to home) that my mom was still cooking me breakfast on Sunday mornings!”
He later transferred to the Army Reserve and trained as a Transfusion Specialist. Through the Reserve, he has deployed five times, caring for soldiers injured while serving their country.
This year marks Hayko's 27th year in the Army.
While he is proud of his own service, he believes Veterans Day is about much more than recognizing those who wore the uniform.
"It is about remembering those who never made it home, honoring the sacrifices of their families, and appreciating the freedom that came at such a tremendous cost," he said.
"Freedom is never free," Hayko said.
Though their military journeys followed different paths, Carrico, Bauer and Hayko share a common belief that service is not defined by a title, a rank or a uniform.
Instead, it is reflected in a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of others.
As the nation observes Veterans Day, their stories serve as a reminder that the spirit of service can extend far beyond the military, strengthening communities, supporting patients and inspiring future generations.
For many veterans, service is a lifelong commitment, continuing on even when their time in the armed forces is done.
For three Baptist Health Hardin team members, the values learned in uniform continue to shape how they lead, care for others and serve the community today.
For Tom Carrico, Mary Bauer and C.J. Hayko, military service provided more than training and experience. It shaped the values that continue to guide their work, leadership and commitment to patients and the community.
Tom Carrico, the hospital’s vice president of operations, joined the U.S. Navy after completing two years of college, seeking leadership opportunities and a greater sense of purpose. Following in the footsteps of his father, who also served in the Navy, he enlisted as a Data Specialist and was assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Norfolk, VA.
The experience was a positive one, and he appreciated the opportunity, as a young man, to travel to some of the world’s most beautiful places, such as France, Spain, Italy and England.
During his four years of service, Carrico deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. One memory stands out vividly. Just days before the end of what was expected to be a routine six-month Mediterranean deployment, his ship received orders to prepare for a potential conflict. Within 72 hours, its journey was underway – through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. Carrico said traveling through the Suez Canal was the only time he truly felt vulnerable. As the carrier moved through the narrow waterway for nearly 16 hours, he recalled feeling like a "sitting duck."
He also recalled a fellow shipmate sleepwalking off a platform and falling overboard into rugged waves. Though the man was rescued, it was an experience that Carrico never forgot.
Carrico’s time in the Navy reinforced lessons that continue to influence both his professional and personal life.
"The discipline necessary to excel in the military, regardless of where you are, instilled in me that same discipline to excel and try to be as highly competent as possible," Carrico said.
He credits the military with helping him develop leadership skills early in life and says the same spirit of service that motivated him to serve his country continues to influence his work serving patients today.
Carrico was heavily involved in the construction of the medical complex at John Rowan Blvd. in Bardstown, as well as the Baptist Health Hardin Medical Pavilion, which opened in 2024. He was also instrumental in bringing the world’s first-in-human clinical trials for 4D Mammography to the hospital, an effort that reflects his belief in serving something larger than oneself. By participating in groundbreaking research, Baptist Health Hardin is helping advance potential improvements in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment that could benefit patients locally and beyond.
Carrico, a 29-year Baptist Health employee who transferred to Baptist Health Hardin (then Hardin Memorial Hospital) in 2012, said, “I love the people here. That’s what sets this organization apart. Our leaders think about how we enrich our culture and make people feel valued.”
Unlike some service members, Mary Bauer, Behavioral Health manager, was not raised in a military family. However, her uncle served in the military and was shot down over Germany.
Bauer honored his memory at a wreath ceremony at the hospital last year, speaking of his bravery and sacrifice.
Bauer began her military service while attending college. She joined an ROTC program and earned a scholarship, launching a military career that would span 13 years.
As a young Army lieutenant, Bauer was responsible for approximately 130 soldiers, an experience that taught leadership lessons she still relies on today. She served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq as part of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Italy and Afghanistan, as well as Germany and Kosovo, where she served in leadership and logistics roles supporting military operations throughout Europe.
She remembered in detail, sitting in secure rooms while commanders from all over Europe coordinated activities that were still months away, and yet they considered every detail, every person, every family, every child.
Bauer believes that honoring the fallen is very important. “We also do that here at Baptist,” she said, referring to activities centered around patriotic holidays and the hospital’s Honor Walk program, which is available to families of veterans who pass away in the hospital.
Among her most meaningful memories are participating in the 60th anniversary of D-Day commemorations and in the Memorial Day ceremony at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in St. Avold, France. Those experiences reinforced the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by generations of service members.
The military also helped shape her approach to leadership and excellence.
"The military taught me to strive for excellence, not average," Bauer said. Today, those same values influence her work at Baptist Health Hardin. Bauer was very involved in the Ambassadors of Excellence program, which recognizes nursing staff for excellence.
Bauer also helped launch the nurse residency program and led the efforts to develop the hospital's new Intensive Outpatient Program, which launched earlier this year. The program, created to provide additional support for people in recovery, helps to bridge the gap between inpatient behavioral health treatment and ongoing outpatient care.
"Seeing what the entire continuum of care is supposed to look like is really the inspiration for me," Bauer said. "If we have that entire continuum built, then we have a safety net for people."
For Laboratory Director C. J. Hayko, service remains an active part of his life.
He joined the Army at age 18, eager to see the world. Ironically, his first duty station was Fort Knox, “close enough (to home) that my mom was still cooking me breakfast on Sunday mornings!”
He later transferred to the Army Reserve and trained as a Transfusion Specialist. Through the Reserve, he has deployed five times, caring for soldiers injured while serving their country.
This year marks Hayko's 27th year in the Army.
While he is proud of his own service, he believes Veterans Day is about much more than recognizing those who wore the uniform.
"It is about remembering those who never made it home, honoring the sacrifices of their families, and appreciating the freedom that came at such a tremendous cost," he said.
"Freedom is never free," Hayko said.
Though their military journeys followed different paths, Carrico, Bauer and Hayko share a common belief that service is not defined by a title, a rank or a uniform.
Instead, it is reflected in a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of others.
As the nation observes Veterans Day, their stories serve as a reminder that the spirit of service can extend far beyond the military, strengthening communities, supporting patients and inspiring future generations.