Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center dedicated

Augusta, Ga.鈥?Mrs. Gloria Norwood was the guest of honor Jan. 15 at a VA Medical Center ceremony honoring her late husband, dentist/Rep. Charlie Norwood. Public Law 110-112 renames the facility the “Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.” Mrs. Norwood and their son Carlton unveiled a replica of a bronze plaque that will be placed at the entrances of the medical center’s two divisions.

Charlie Norwood, a decorated Vietnam war veteran, represented Georgia’s 10th and redistricted 9th congressional districts from 1995 to 2007 and was a champion of military and veterans health care legislation. His last trip abroad before his Feb. 13, 2007, death was to inspect Army medical operations in the Middle East, said a former aide. He spent several days touring Iraq with deployed soldiers while battling cancer. He was a private practice dentist here for 25 years before his election to Congress.

“I am very pleased that President Bush signed legislation designating our medical center as the Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center,” said Rebecca Wiley, VA Medical Center director. “It’s an honor to be named after a congressman who was a U.S. Army veteran and worked diligently to protect and improve veterans’ health care.”

Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) was the guest speaker at the rededication ceremony.