Find the ones nearest you
Accredited in Burgaw, NC
| Name | Type | Organization | Phone | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwin Aristizabal | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 919-664-1065 | 2024 (est.) | 56000 |
| Sally Lawson | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 202-861-2700switchboard | 2014 (est.) | 31758 |
| Michelle Leach | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 910-604-8507 | 2017 (est.) | 43100 |
1 of these listings ring a switchboard, not a desk
The VA publishes one phone number per representative, and for 1 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 # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Brown | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion | 202-861-2700switchboard | Wilmington | 2017 (est.) | 42021 |
| Betsy Graham | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 910-798-7611 | Wilmington | 2014 (est.) | 30691 |
| Frank Johnson | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, American Legion | 919-664-1065 | Wilmington | 2022 (est.) | 53290 |
| Teresa Nifong | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, American Legion | 202-861-2700switchboard | Wilmington | 2018 (est.) | 44322 |
| Dario RamirezDuenas | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 910-270-5258 | Hampstead | 2025 (est.) | 60076 |
| Melissa Vasiento | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion | 910-798-7611 | Wilmington | 2024 (est.) | 57754 |
| Matthew Wesley | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 910-798-7611 | Wilmington | 2019 (est.) | 46654 |
| Mayah Willis-Thomas | VSO representative | North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs | 910-798-7611 | Wilmington | 2026 (est.) | 61560 |
| Shelly Bao | Attorney | — | 910-763-6956 | Wilmington | 2012 | 23317 |
| Sharon Hatton | Attorney | — | 910-772-9455 | Wilmington | 2009 | 14527 |
| Russell Johnson | Attorney | — | 919-949-9868 | Wilmington | 2025 | 58652 |
| Leah King | Attorney | — | 910-455-4065 | Wilmington | 2022 | 53507 |
| Lisa Salines-Mondello | Attorney | — | 910-254-0599 | Wilmington | 2009 | 14497 |
| Kelly Shovelin | Attorney | — | 910 762-1577 | Wilmington | 2008 | 9974 |
| Tiney Corbett | Claims agent | — | 910-371-6952 | Leland | 2018 | 43721 |
| Amanda Medina | Claims agent | — | 919-256-5283 | Wilmington | 2018 | 44125 |
| Kenneth Morris | Claims agent | — | 910-686-7905 | Wilmington | 2021 | 50250 |
| Anthony Musolino | Claims agent | — | (910) 352-5128 | Wilmington | 2018 | 44831 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In North Carolina | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,753 | 217 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,663 | 75 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| National Association of County Veterans Service Officers | 2,133 | 106 | 4.9 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| North Carolina Dept Military and Veterans Affairs | 314 | 269 | 4.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,342 | 66 | 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 North Carolina is
688,933 veterans live in North Carolina and 584 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 1,180 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 North Carolina
All accredited representatives in North Carolina · Search by ZIP code
Does your rating decision hold up under a real audit?
Upload your decision letter and C&P exams — VetAid's analyzer reads the full file, checks every examiner statement word-for-word against your records, and shows which arguments for a higher rating actually hold. Free, and we never take a cut of your back pay.
Analyze my claim free →