Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Dekalb, IL
| Name | Type | Organization | Phone | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamela Anderson | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 202-861-2700switchboard | 2009 (est.) | 12549 |
| Scott Bennett | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 815-756-8129 | 2023 (est.) | 55189 |
| Lesa Eames | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 815-217-0418 | 2025 (est.) | 60300 |
| Matthew Hurley | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 815-756-8129 | 2024 (est.) | 58072 |
| Jason Ledbetter | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 815-217-0412 | 2025 (est.) | 60303 |
| Timothy Stubinger | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 202-543-2239switchboard | 2018 (est.) | 45153 |
| Bradley Van Winkle | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 815-217-0413 | 2023 (est.) | 54278 |
| Adam Wallace | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | —no phone published | 2025 (est.) | 58936 |
2 of these listings ring a switchboard, not a desk
The VA publishes one phone number per representative, and for 2 of the people on this page that number is an organization's main line shared by hundreds of representatives across the country — not a direct line to them. It is marked switchboard in the table. Ask for the person by name and by VA registration number, and if you cannot get through, any other representative from the same organization can take the case.
Within 25 miles
| Name | Type | Organization | Phone | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus Arteaga | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion | 202-861-2700switchboard | Geneva | 2018 (est.) | 44841 |
| Elizabeth Carville | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | (815) 544-6464 | Belvidere | 2018 (est.) | 44845 |
| Francis Delatorre | VSO representative | Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs | 217-785-4114shared line | Elgin | 2014 (est.) | 30568 |
| Quentin Helland | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 815-544-6464 | Belvidere | 2026 (est.) | 61319 |
| Habacuc Rico | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Disabled American Veterans | 630-232-3551 | Geneva | 2023 (est.) | 54431 |
| Nicholas Steele | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 630-232-3550 | Geneva | 2023 (est.) | 55157 |
| Steven Wells | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 630-232-3550 | Geneva | 2008 (est.) | 9244 |
| Jacob Zimmerman | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 630-232-3550 | Geneva | 2011 (est.) | 20646 |
| Dawn Weekly | Attorney | — | 815-570-2334 | Sandwich | 2008 | 9081 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Illinois | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,753 | 31 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 2,133 | 173 | 4.9 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,342 | 36 | 5.4 | Accepts online POA requests |
Median years accredited is estimated from VA registration number sequence for VSO representatives, whose accreditation dates the VA does not publish; it is exact for attorneys and claims agents.
How stretched Illinois is
621,229 veterans live in Illinois and 537 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 1,157 veterans per representative.
That is a statewide ratio, not any one person's caseload, and not every veteran has a claim open. It is here because it is the only workload figure anyone publishes. Veteran counts: VA VetPop2023 State Estimates, FY2023.
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.
2026 base rates, all ratings (veteran alone)
| 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 |
What any of them may charge you
- VSO representatives cannot charge a fee. Ever. Not for filing, not for "document review", not a percentage of back pay (38 CFR 14.636).
- Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge, but only after the VA has issued an initial decision on the claim (38 USC 5904). Anyone charging to file your first claim is either not accredited or not allowed to.
- Nobody who is not on the VA's roster may prepare or prosecute your claim for a fee (38 CFR 14.629), whatever they call themselves.
Check any name on this page against the VA Office of General Counsel accreditation search before you sign a thing. VetAid takes no payment for placement here and endorses nobody.
Elsewhere in Illinois
All accredited representatives in Illinois · Search by ZIP code
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