Veterans are not locked into any single Veteran Service Officer or organization, and switching is common and allowed at any point in the claims process. If a VSO submitted something you did not authorize or was not responsive to your needs, you can revoke their power of attorney and select a new representative.
To change representation, you generally file VA Form 21-22 (Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative) if you want to work with a different VSO, or VA Form 21-22a if you want to appoint an individual attorney, claims agent, or private representative instead. Filing a new form automatically revokes the prior POA on file, though it is good practice to also send a written revocation to the old VSO or organization directly so there is no confusion about who is authorized to act on your claim.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Your options generally fall into a few categories. First, you can switch to a different service officer within the same organization (for example, a different American Legion or DAV office) if the issue is with a specific person rather than the organization itself. Second, you can switch to an entirely different national or state VSO — organizations like DAV, VFW, American Legion, PVA, and many state departments of veterans affairs all offer free assistance and have no requirement that you have prior membership in most cases. Third, you can hire an accredited VA claims agent or attorney; these professionals can charge fees, but only after a decision has been made on a claim that involves past-due benefits, and only in accordance with VA fee regulations under 38 CFR 14.636. Fourth, some veterans choose to file claims on their own (pro se) using VA.gov or a paper application, particularly if they feel confident navigating the process, though many still prefer to have representation for appeals.
If a rough draft claim was submitted without your consent and it does not reflect the evidence or issues you intended, you can typically withdraw or amend it before a decision is made by submitting a written statement to the VA regional office handling the claim, or by working with new representation to correct course. Once a decision is issued, options include a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995), Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996), or a Notice of Disagreement (VA Form 10182) depending on the type of error.
The concrete next step is to contact a different VSO office, or a state department of veterans affairs, to file a new VA Form 21-22 and formally take over representation before any further action is taken on the pending claim.
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