It's going to save Lynchburg-area veterans a whole lot of driving time. A new VA outpatient clinic is opening in less than a week on Lakeside Drive in Lynchburg. We talked with local vets and they say it's great news.

Now vets in the Lynchburg area won't have to make that long drive to the Salem VA Medical Center. But as always, veterans are concerned about the waits.

Albert Douglas, Vietnam Veteran - "It's tough dealing with that, because of the memories."

Vietnam veteran Albert Douglas suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He also has bad disks in his back, causing him to lose control of his fingers. He needs treatment, just not the costs.

Douglas - "With gas prices the way they are, I really can't afford to drive to Salem to be honest with you. So I'm sure it’s that way with a lot of vets."

Hopefully the new Lynchburg VA Outpatient Clinic will help. The clinic opens September 2nd, and workers are tightening the loose bolts. Jennifer Redmond says this new facility will cut down on the long waits at Salem.

Jennifer Redmond, Medical Support Assistant - "This one makes it a little easier for people to be able to come to a facility, get the treatment that they need, and not be inconvenienced as they were previously."

But veterans worry about the long lines to get into one of these exam rooms. Veterans walking through the Lynchburg clinic's door to get an appointment need to be enrolled in the VA health system. If they're a new patient, they'll have to sign up, and it could take them a couple of months to get an appointment.

Redmond - "There's going to be... chaos, there's going to be some confusion in the beginning and we're just going to try and work through it."

Redmond says the clinic will treat 6,500 veterans. But right now, it isn't even fully staffed.

Douglas - "If it takes three or four months to go to Salem, is it going to take six to seven months out here?"

The Lynchburg clinic hopes to be fully staffed by December. Meanwhile, the Veterans Health Administration wants to open two more outpatient clinics in Staunton and Wytheville.