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Accredited in Cloquet, MN
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duane Brownie | 218-499-6838 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2008 (est.) | 944 |
| Billie Defoe | 218-878-8056 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | 2026 (est.) | 61230 |
| Sarah Fineout | 218-499-6838 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2010 (est.) | 17261 |
Within 25 miles
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Johnson | 218-520-0121 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | Saginaw | 2025 (est.) | 60514 |
| Stacey Pearson | 218-520-0120 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | Saginaw | 2025 (est.) | 60573 |
| Jennifer Pelofske | 218-725-5285 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | Duluth | 2025 (est.) | 58611 |
| Angeline Rish | 218-725-5285 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | Duluth | 2026 (est.) | 60762 |
| Jared Sietsema | (218) 725-5285 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | Duluth | 2021 (est.) | 50888 |
| Nadine Wells | 218-725-5285 | VSO representative | Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | Duluth | 2018 (est.) | 44671 |
| Jonathan Koenig | 402-917-5303out-of-state | Attorney | — | Duluth | 2024 | 56791 |
| Tracy Schramm | 218-940-1603 | Attorney | — | Duluth | 2019 | 46470 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In Minnesota | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,712 | 256 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,675 | 155 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | 356 | 298 | 5.3 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 187 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,297 | 196 | 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 Minnesota is
295,703 veterans live in Minnesota and 389 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 760 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 Minnesota
All accredited representatives in Minnesota · Search by ZIP code
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