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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chambliss, Isakson, Kingston Introduce Bill to Rename Augusta Veterans Center in Honor of the Late Congressman Charlie Norwood WASHINGTON —U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., today announced that they have introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, located at 1 Freedom Way in Augusta, Ga., in honor of the late U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, who passed away on February 13, 2007. The legislation renames the facility as the “Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center,” in honor of Norwood’s many years of service to our nation and to our veterans. The bill is co-sponsored by 75 members of the House including the following members of the Georgia delegation: Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., Rep. John Linder, R-Ga., Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., and Rep. David Scott, D-Ga. “Charlie Norwood was truly an honest and selfless public servant,” said Chambliss. “Even as he faced personal adversity, Charlie worked tirelessly on behalf of our country’s veterans. His unceasing passion and integrity earned him the respect of countless colleagues, Georgians, and service members. Dedicating the Augusta VA to his memory recognizes Charlie’s years of service and his unique legacy to our country.” Norwood represented Georgia’s 10 th Congressional District for 12 years and our nation’s veterans were always his top priority. He worked to pass many laws to improve veterans’ health care and benefits, and made sure that the Veterans Medical Center in Augusta had the resources and tools necessary to meet the needs of veterans in such a strong military community. Before serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Norwood served as an Army Captain in the Vietnam War as a member of the United States Army Dental Corps and provided dental, emergency medical and surgical care for United States personnel, Vietnamese civilians and prisoners-of-war. His brave and compassionate efforts in that conflict earned him the Combat Medical Badge and two awards of the Bronze Star. He also helped develop the Dental Corps operating procedures under combat conditions, which are now standard, of delivering dentists to forward-fire bases, and providing dental treatment for military service dogs. After his service in the Army, Norwood returned home to Augusta where he worked as a dentist on base at Fort Gordon and eventually opened his own private dental practice serving patients all around east Georgia including care for military personnel, retirees and dependents under Department of Defense programs and for low-income patients under Georgia Medicaid. Norwood maintained a life membership in the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Military Order of the World Wars, and he was recognized by the Association of the United States Army for his role in protecting and improving military and veterans’ health care through the presentation of the Cocklin Award in 1998, and through his induction into the Association’s Audie Murphy Society in 1999. ###
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