Vets say new, state-of-the-art VA facility is short on doctors

The relatively new Veterans Affairs health facility in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is massive and state of the art, veterans say, but inside, they describe a ghost town. The care is great, the vets say, but they can’t get appointments.

About a dozen local veterans say the Fredericksburg VA Health Center doesn’t provide the care they deserve because of a lack of doctors.

U.S. Air Force veteran Ashley Carothers said the VA told her she’d be seen faster if she went elsewhere.

“I was told I was better off staying with the DC VMC (Washington DC VA Medical Center) just because of wait times and staffing issues,” she said.

Retired U.S. Marine Michael Dunlap said provider turnover at the Fredericksburg VA is unreal. He said he’s had four primary care physicians within the past year.

“And they go, and then you get a new doctor,” Dunlap said. “So now, you have to wait ‘til you see that doctor, spend the time talking to them, bring them back up to speed on everything you’ve been going through, and then start all over again. So, that’s, I think, frustrating.”

The state-of-the-art facility that opened in March 2025 is a crown jewel in the VA system. But it’s never been fully staffed, according to U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.

“Staffing was supposed to be at about 980 — that’s full staff,” he said. “It was about a third staffed last year. A year-plus later, it’s maybe 60% staffed, and that means an awful lot of people here can’t get services.”

U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va. 7^th District, says there are more vets in his district than any other congressional district in the country.

Following a roundtable Monday, Vindman and Kaine said they were meeting with administration at the Fredericksburg VA to find solutions.

“I hope that these discussions are productive,” Vindman said. “I’m gonna go in with an open mind but I’m gonna be very firm that what is going on here is unacceptable, and we’re gonna hold these people accountable.”

News4 reached out to the Fredericksburg VA for a comment and to ask about current staffing levels but hasn’t heard back yet.

News4 also reached out to Republican Douglas Ollivant, who is running against Vindman for his seat in Congress, to ask what he would do to improve the Fredericksburg VA. His campaign has not responded.