Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Valparaiso, IN
| Name | Type | Organization | Phone | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Atkinson | VSO representative | American Legion | 219-465-3587 | 2009 (est.) | 12225 |
| Paulina Huffman | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 317-916-3605shared line | 2014 (est.) | 30968 |
| Jeffery Imhof | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 219-465-3587 | 2021 (est.) | 50819 |
| Khristian Molchan | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-465-3587 | 2024 (est.) | 56617 |
| James Pendergrass | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-465-3345 | 2026 (est.) | 60608 |
| Joseph Scida | VSO representative | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-465-3499 | 2023 (est.) | 54865 |
| Edwin See | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 202-861-2700switchboard | 2022 (est.) | 53106 |
| Kenneth Taylor | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 202-861-2700switchboard | 2025 (est.) | 59008 |
| Carl Williams | VSO representative | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 202-861-2700switchboard | 2023 (est.) | 53750 |
| Connie Bauswell | Attorney | — | 219-548-0980 | 2009 | 11825 |
| Angela Crossin | Attorney | — | 219-714-3854 | 2020 | 48430 |
| Dana Ratkovich | Attorney | — | 219-477-6490 | 2026 | 60559 |
| Clifford Rice | Attorney | — | 219-462-0809 | 2016 | 37749 |
| Angelica Schultis | Attorney | — | 219-464-1041 | 2011 | 19843 |
| Bennie Fugate | Claims agent | — | 219-680-8800 | 2025 | 59839 |
3 of these listings ring a switchboard, not a desk
The VA publishes one phone number per representative, and for 3 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 # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Booth | VSO representative | Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | (574) 772-9132 | Knox | 2026 (est.) | 61310 |
| Julianne Flores | VSO representative | Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-775-3285 | Crown Point | 2023 (est.) | 53840 |
| Jason Gootee | VSO representative | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 202-861-2700switchboard | Crown Point | 2016 (est.) | 37855 |
| John Hill | VSO representative | American Legion, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-326-6808 | Michigan City | 2024 (est.) | 58213 |
| Randy Johnson | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 574-772-9132 | Knox | 2021 (est.) | 51129 |
| James Lewis | VSO representative | Vietnam Veterans of America | 219-696-0140 | Lowell | 2011 (est.) | 22036 |
| Eduardo Lozano | VSO representative | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-325-5584 | LA Porte | 2023 (est.) | 55639 |
| George Watkins | VSO representative | National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 219-326-6808 | Michigan City | 2014 (est.) | 32443 |
| Bryan Bullock | Attorney | — | 219-472-1546 | Merrillville | 2022 | 52242 |
| Rex Hood | Attorney | — | 219-395-6588 | Portage | 2022 | 52142 |
| Lynda Lancaster | Attorney | — | 219-832-0142 | Chesterton | 2026 | 61481 |
| Erica McCain | Attorney | — | 513-904-0584out-of-state | Munster | 2010 | 17473 |
| Adam Mindel | Attorney | — | 219-940-3611 | Hobart | 2026 | 60946 |
| Grant Murphy | Attorney | — | 219-326-7777 | LA Porte | 2025 | 60114 |
| Chad Nally | Attorney | — | 219-299-4107 | Merrillville | 2019 | 46288 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Indiana | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,753 | 190 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,663 | 23 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs | 167 | 167 | 3.4 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 2,133 | 45 | 4.9 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,342 | 52 | 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 384 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 967 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 Indiana
All accredited representatives in Indiana · Search by ZIP code
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