Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Fort Wayne, IN
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Colone | 260-449-7861 | VSO representative | Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 2026 (est.) | 61885 |
| Kathryn Jordan | 202-861-2700switchboard | VSO representative | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 2023 (est.) | 54640 |
| Dane Ludvigsen | 1-800-810-7148switchboard | VSO representative | American Veterans | 2017 (est.) | 42920 |
| Aaron Miller | 317-916-3605shared line | VSO representative | American Legion | 2021 (est.) | 51379 |
| Joseph Wasson | (317) 916-3605shared line also listed: 202-861-2700 | VSO representative | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 2018 (est.) | 44223 |
| Heidi Adair | 260-426-9706 | Attorney | — | 2011 | 20285 |
| Charles Backs | (260) 425-4684 | Attorney | — | 2009 | 11787 |
| Robert Rhee | (260) 580-4059 | Attorney | — | 2008 | 9617 |
| Fernando Ruiz | 260-804-9228 | Attorney | — | 2025 | 60057 |
| Janell Sprinkle | 260-426-9706 | Attorney | — | 2019 | 47843 |
| Jesica Thorson | (260) 426-9706 | Attorney | — | 2011 | 19347 |
| Joshua White | (260) 423-9440 | Attorney | — | 2023 | 55196 |
| Monica Young | (260) 424-9155 | Attorney | — | 2026 | 60561 |
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 | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Eckert | 202-861-2700switchboard | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | Huntington | 2016 (est.) | 40433 |
| Ronda Hunkler | 202-861-2700switchboard | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | Auburn | 2021 (est.) | 50149 |
| Trey Likes | 202-861-2700switchboard | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | Decatur | 2021 (est.) | 51477 |
| Joseph McFarren | 260-824-6403 | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | Bluffton | 2026 (est.) | 60761 |
| Samantha Saylor | 260-925-0131 | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | Auburn | 2025 (est.) | 59950 |
| Joshua Smith | 260-248-3189 | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | Columbia City | 2024 (est.) | 56417 |
| Scott Federspiel | 260-925-3738 | Attorney | — | Auburn | 2026 | 60796 |
| Kristin Steckbeck | 260-824-5566 | Attorney | — | Bluffton | 2020 | 49512 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Indiana | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,712 | 186 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| American Veterans | 91 | 6 | 7.3 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 167 | 166 | 3.2 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,297 | 51 | 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 Indiana is
371,365 veterans live in Indiana and 358 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 1,037 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(b)).
- Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge, but only after the VA has issued an initial decision on the claim (38 USC 5904; 38 CFR 14.636(c)). 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, or check a name or a whole list of registration numbers on our roster check. VetAid takes no payment for placement here and endorses nobody.
Elsewhere in Indiana
All accredited representatives in Indiana · Search by ZIP code
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