Augusta VA medical center renamed for late U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood

A replica of the bronze plaques that will be installed at the entrances to both divisions of the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center is unveiled by Rebecca Wiley (l), director of the center; Norwood's widow, Gloria Norwood; and son, Carlton Norwood. The ceremony, during which the Augusta VA Medical Center was re-named in memory of the congressman, was held Tuesday, January 15. Photograph by Will Tullis.

Gloria Norwood, wife of the late 10th District Congressman Charlie Norwood, was the guest of honor at a ceremony during which the name of the Augusta VA Medical Center was changed to the Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The ceremony was held Tuesday, January 15, at the medical center's "Uptown Division." The guest speaker for the occasion was Ninth District Congressman Nathan Deal.

Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1995, Congressman Norwood, a dentist by profession, represented most of east Georgia at some point during his political career. He served as Lincoln County's congressman from 1995 until February of 2007, when he passed away at his Augusta home due to complications from his eight-year battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). He was 65.

Concerning his military service, the congressman served as a captain in the United States Army from 1967 to 1969. Initially, he was assigned to the dental corps at Sandia Army Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Then, in 1968, he was transferred to the medical battalion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam, serving at Quin Yon, An Khe, and LZ English at Bon Son.

During his tour, Norwood performed experimental military dental procedures that are now standard for the armed forces. He was also one of the first participants in the Army's outreach program to deliver dentists to forward firebases in lieu of transferring patients to rear treatment areas.

In addition, he provided some of the first field-based, dental treatment to military guard dogs and assisted in delivering non-dental trauma care in mobile surgical hospitals.

In recognition of his service under combat conditions, Congressman Norwood was awarded the Combat Medical Badge and two Bronze Stars. Upon returning from Vietnam, the Valdosta native was assigned to the dental corps at Fort Gordon.

In her comments, Rebecca Wiley, director of the VA center, said, "I am very pleased that President Bush signed legislation designating our medical center as the Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. It is an honor to be named after a congressman, who was a United States Army veteran and worked diligently to protect and improve veterans' health care."

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