Guntersville VA Clinic Officially Renamed in Honor of Colonel Ola Lee Mize

The Guntersville VA Clinic was formally renamed the Colonel Ola Lee Mize VA Clinic during a heartfelt ceremony on Thursday. Veterans, community leaders, and family members gathered to pay tribute to the Korean War hero, Medal of Honor recipient, and Marshall County native, WAFF reported.

Congressman Robert Aderholt IR-AL4), who spearheaded the renaming effort in Congress, led the event. He spoke plainly but meaningfully: “This dedication is about more than changing a sign—it is about honoring a hero and reaffirming our commitment to all who have served.”

Aderholt noted that Colonel Mize already has a bridge named for him in Marshall County, which many pass daily. “But I believed it was important for his name to stand on a building where veterans come for care,” he said. “So that his legacy is tied not only to remembrance, but to service.”

The Congressman’s words captured the clinic’s new purpose: a living tribute rooted in service. Mize’s widow, Betty Mize, was present. Aderholt presented her with a framed copy of the legislation. “It was important to me that Mrs. Mize and her family know that this community and this nation will never forget the sacrifice and service of Colonel Ola Lee Mize,” he said.

The clinic’s renaming carries a deeper message, he added: “It is a promise—that they will be cared for with the respect and dignity they deserve. That they are never forgotten. And that our community will always honor their service.”

He closed with a powerful reminder: “This clinic, now bearing Colonel Mize’s name, will stand as a constant reminder that freedom has a cost, and that those who pay it deserve not only our gratitude but our action. By placing his name here, we commit ourselves to serving veterans with the same devotion that Colonel Mize showed to his fellow soldiers and to this nation.”

Alabama Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville led the renaming efforts in the Senate, where the move passed unanimously in November of last year. At that time, both Senators praised the Senate’s action.

“I’m thrilled to see this legislation honoring an outstanding Alabamian and one our nation’s true heroes pass the Senate. Alongside every member of the Alabama delegation, I look forward to seeing this quickly signed into law,” said Senator Britt. “The Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic in Guntersville will continue to have a tremendous impact on our state by strengthening our VA health care system and providing critical medical services to veterans and their families.”

“Colonel Ola Lee Mize was a true patriot who embodied the American ideals of courage, selflessness, and honor,” said Senator Tuberville. “He devoted his entire life to putting country ahead of self, and showed true bravery in the face of danger time and again. Alabama is proud to call him one of our own, and it is an honor to pay tribute to his legacy by naming the Guntersville VA clinic in his honor.”

Colonel Ola Lee Mize earned the Medal of Honor for his valor at Outpost Harry in the Korean War. He later joined Army Special Forces and served through Vietnam, retiring in 1981 as a Colonel.