Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Cedar Rapids, IA
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin DeFord | 319-892-5160 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2021 (est.) | 50826 |
| Robert Klein | 319-892-5160 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2025 (est.) | 59165 |
| Suellyn Parson | 319-892-5165 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2020 (est.) | 48919 |
| Kimberly Pasker | (319) 892-5160 also listed: 202-861-2700 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2018 (est.) | 45015 |
| Dustin Peterson | 319-892-5162 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2022 (est.) | 52962 |
Within 25 miles
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Brown | 319-356-6049 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | Iowa City | 2025 (est.) | 60268 |
| Mandy Coates | 319-356-6049 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans' Voice of America | Iowa City | 2023 (est.) | 55223 |
| Robert Ledtje | 319-339-7060 | VSO representative | Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans' Voice of America | Iowa City | 2011 (est.) | 20114 |
| Thomas Lemons | 319-339-7060 | VSO representative | Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans' Voice of America | Iowa City | 2011 (est.) | 20113 |
| Courtney Long | 319-472-3150 | VSO representative | Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | Vinton | 2024 (est.) | 56640 |
| Jennifer Olson | 319-642-3925 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans' Voice of America | Marengo | 2014 (est.) | 32422 |
| Jack Rhinehart | 515-323-7547 | VSO representative | Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans' Voice of America | Iowa City | 2017 (est.) | 43371 |
| Susan Yario | 319-462-5311 | VSO representative | Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion | Anamosa | 2010 (est.) | 16470 |
| Eric Bigley | —no phone published | Attorney | — | Iowa City | 2015 | 36441 |
| John Flaming | 319-338-5343 | Attorney | — | Iowa City | 2025 | 59981 |
| John Grabow | 563-370-1606 | Attorney | — | Tiffin | 2021 | 50117 |
| Mary Hoefer | 319-338-5343 | Attorney | — | Iowa City | 2010 | 18007 |
| Amy Kretkowski | 319-337-8899 | Attorney | — | Iowa City | 2011 | 21601 |
| Zeferino Gomez-Martinez | 319-338-5343 | Claims agent | — | Iowa City | 2025 | 59957 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Iowa | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,712 | 153 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,675 | 111 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs | 134 | 85 | 4.9 | Accepts online POA requests |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 148 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,297 | 119 | 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 Iowa is
181,635 veterans live in Iowa and 192 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 946 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 Iowa
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