The Rome News Tribune this morning reports on the new VA clinic being established in Rome (including the photograph above). The paper quoted Hartwell Nolan, one of the veteran leaders who worked tirelessly to make this clinic a reality, on the importance of the new facility:

“This is one of the greatest blessings God has ever given to me,” he said. “Everybody took this as a personal challenge to get the veterans of this area the medical care they need so badly. I think that is what got it through.”

Nolan began pushing for a local VA clinic in 2005. He organized area veteran groups and gathered more than 1,500 signatures in support of the clinic.

The 73-year-old Navy vet estimates about 73,000 veterans in Georgia and Alabama are in need of a local clinic for health-care services. He is one of them, having to drive more than an hour to the Atlanta VA Medical Center as many as seven times a month.

To read the complete article, click HERE. See below for previous blog posts on the clinic location and details.

Two more maps to help you visualize where the new Northwest Georgia VA clinic will be located. This map should help those familiar with Rome:

And this map should help those traveling from Bartow, Polk, Gordon and Chattooga counties:

Today, the VA announced it has selected a site location for our new Rome VA clinic. The site, 30 Chateau Drive, is a perfect location. First of all, the facility is a former medical clinic, so it can be quickly transformed to meet VA specifications. In fact, the clinic should be open this fall. Second, the location has plenty of parking, and its proximity to Hwy. 411 means veterans from Bartow, Polk, Gordon and Chattooga counties can easily access the facility. Below is a map of the new location:

I am truly inspired by our community’s effort to bring a VA clinic to Northwest Georgia. A big thank you goes out to every veteran and veteran supporter who wrote a letter, helped raise money, drove someone to a clinic, and supported this important cause.

I also want to thank architect Mike Page and engineer David Culp Jr. of P & C Design Build. These two men have generously donated their services to design the new VA clinic. This will help the clinic get up and running as soon as possible. Both of these men understand what this clinic means to our veterans, because both are the sons of veterans. I know their fathers, Franklin Page and David Culp Sr., must be very proud.

I plan to tour the VA site later this week, and I’ll report back with an update. This is an exciting day for our community, and I eagerly await opening day.

Justin Johnson

I want to call your attention to something truly inspiring. Gold Star Moms from across our nation are holding a rally this morning in Atlanta to support our troops. These Gold Star Moms, mothers who have lost a son or daughter in war, have embarked on a pro-troop caravan aptly titled “These Colors Don’t Run.”  You can find these proud and strong moms at Atlanta’s Centennial Park this morning, and this upcoming weekend in Washington, D.C.  For a map of their route and more information on these rallies, click HERE.

Joining this effort is one of our own 11th District Gold Star Moms, Jan Johnson of Chattooga County. Jan’s son, Justin – an Armuchee High School graduate – was killed in action in Iraq.  The Johnson’s other son, Josh, deployed last week to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

I am so moved by Jan’s courage, and her unwavering commitment to supporting our troops. When I hear her talk about attending these rallies not only for her own sons but for troops and families across the nation, I know that our brave men and women serving overseas will draw encouragement from this steadfast support. I hope these rallies will show our troops they have millions of Americans praying for them and supporting them every day as they bravely serve our nation.

To read more about Jan Johnson and the pro-troop rallies, read today’s Rome News Tribune article HERE.

Yesterday, I hosted the first 11th District Listening Session in Cartersville.  It was a great event, with nearly 40 people coming out to discuss today’s pressing issues with me.  I appreciated hearing so many opinions from around the Bartow community.

If you don’t live in Cartersville, don’t worry – there’s a Listening Session coming soon to a town near you.  Click HERE for a complete list.  Next week: Carroll and Paulding counties. I look forward to seeing you there!

Over the past few years, I’ve heard growing concern from Northwest Georgia veterans who can’t access the healthcare services they need to stay well. The problem? Our veterans have no way of getting to appointments at the VA hospital in Atlanta, or the VA clinics in Smyrna, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Gadsden, Ala.

Well, what better way to thank our veterans for their service than to fix this problem.  I am extremely please to announce that next week, we will be dedicating a brand new veteran van that will take Floyd County area veterans to appointments at the area’s VA clinics. You can read all about it in today’s Rome News Tribune.

I’d like to invite community members to attend the dedication on Friday, July 7th at 10:00 AM.  The dedication will take place at the tomb of the Known Solider at the Veterans Memorial on Myrtle Hill in Rome.  This is a great opportunity to come out and show your support for our veterans.