The A - Z Guide: Veterans VA Disability Benefits
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As a general rule, I do not recommend that veterans use a Veterans Service Officer who is associated with a Veterans Service Organization to represent them during the disability claims process.

The term VSO may mean the Veterans Service Organization or it may mean a Veterans Service Officer. Read carefully any time you see the term VSO.

I believe that most Veterans Service Organizations accomplish very little other than to feather their own nest.

The paid employees of a Veterans Service Organization obviously have a motivation to promote their company. Don't be naive...the Veterans Service Organization is a business. Even if it is a Non-Profit or a Not For Profit company, it still makes money and pays its employees.


The only way I can see to rate any business is to examine what it produces. In the end game, what any company does for its customers is how that company is defined.

Most VS Organizations will tell you that they represent veterans. But do they? It's easy for a company to stand up and support programs to hire veterans, end homelessness or any other obvious effort that they can turn into a slogan. Everyone wants things to be better for vets.







But...what do they actually do? Do they have some way of paying the bills for vets who need help right now? Are there grants available?

Some of the VS Organizations provide VS Officers to help with benefits claims. None of these people are held to any national standard or licensing requirements. Some "Post Officers" get a little brochure that gives them a few pages about how to help you file your claim.

Use caution when you think about getting some help with your claim. If you can read and comprehend some fairly simple instructions, you're probably smarter than anyone who offers to help you.

I teach the DIY method of How To File A Claim and for any appeal, I recommend an attorney.

I make some exceptions for the state and/or county organizations who handle veterans claims.


Accreditation of a VSO


Why you should use caution
in selecting a Veterans Service Officer.


NOBODY cares about your claim the way you do. DIY!


Veterans Service Organizations (The links below were taken directly from the VA web site in 2009. The VA web site has removed all links to Veterans Service Organizations in 2011.

If I had to guess, I'd guess this was done because VA didn't want to promote using a Veterans Service Officer for your claim. VA is designed to work directly with the veteran when filing claims.

If you're interested in any of these groups, copy the name and then Google search it.)

Representation
African Amer.Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Assoc.
African American Veterans and Families
Air Force Association
Air Force Sergeants Association
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
Alaska Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
All Faith Consortium
Americal Division Veterans Association
American Coalition for Filipino Veterans
American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor
American Ex-Prisoners of War
American GI Forum of the United States
American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
American Legion
American Logistics Association
American Merchant Marine Veterans
American Military Retirees Association
American Military Society
American Red Cross
American Retiree Association
American Samoa Veterans Affairs
American Veterans Alliance, Inc.
American Veterans for Equal Rights Inc.
American Volunteer Reserve
American War Mothers
AMVETS
Arab American War Veterans, Inc.
Arizona Department of Veterans Service
Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs
Armed Forces Services Corporation
Army and Navy Union, USA, Inc.
Army Aviation Association of America
Asian American Veterans Association
Association of Ex-POW of the Korean War, Inc.
Association of Military Surgeons (AMSUS)
Association of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade
Association of the US Army, USA
Association of Veterans Education Certifying Ofc.
Blinded American Veterans Foundation
Blinded Veterans Association
Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.
Bureau of Maine Veterans Services
BVL Fund - Bowlers Serving America`s Veterans
California Department of Veterans Affairs
Catholic War Veterans, USA, Inc.
Cold War Veterans Association
Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs
Commissioned Officers Association of the US Health
Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust
Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the United States of America
Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs
CWO&WO Association US Coast Guard
Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
Disabled American Veterans
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Department of Veterans Affairs
Eighth Air Force Historical Society
Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the US
Fleet Reserve Association
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs
Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs
Georgia Department of Veterans Service
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.
Guam Veterans Affairs Office
Hawaii Office of Veterans Services
Hawaii Office of Veterans Services
Help Hospitalized Veterans
Hispanic War Veterans of America
Homeless & Disabled Veterans
Idaho Division of Veterans Services
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs
Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
Italian American War Veterans of the USA
Japanese American Veterans Association
Japanese American Veterans Counsel
Jewish War Veterans of the USA
Kansas Veterans Commission
Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
Korea Veterans of America
Korean Defense Veterans of America
Korean Ex-Prisoners of War
Korean War Veterans Association, Inc.
Legion of Valor of the USA, Inc.
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs
LSM-LSMR Association
Maine Division of Veterans Services
Marine Corps League
Marine Corps Reserve Association
Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs
Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services
Michigan Department of Military Affairs
Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America
Military Justice Clinic, Inc.
Military Officers Association of America
Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A., Inc.
Military Order of the World Wars
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Mississippi State Veterans Affairs Board
Missouri Veterans Commission
Montana Veterans Affairs Division
NAM-POWS, Inc.
National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association
National Alliance on Mentally Illiness
National American Indian Veterans
National Amputation Foundation, Inc.
National Association for Black Veterans, Inc.
National Association for Uniformed Services
National Association of American Veterans, Inc.
National Association of Atomic Veterans
National Association of Black Military Women (NABMW)
National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Inc.
National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors, Inc.
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA)
National Association of State Veterans Homes
National Association of State Women Veterans Coord
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
National Congress of Puerto Rican Veterans, Inc.
National Guard Association of the United States
National Gulf War Resource Center, Inc.
National League of Families of American
National Military Family Association
National Order of Battlefield Commissions
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
National Veterans Business Development Corportation
National Veterans Foundation
National Veterans Legal Services Program
National Veterans Organization of America (NOVA)
National Vietnam Veterans Coalition
Naval Enlisted Reserve Association
Naval Reserve Association
Navy Club of the United States of America
Navy League of the United States
Navy Mutual Aid Association
Navy Nurse Corps Association
Navy Seabee Veterans of America
Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs
Nevada Office of Veterans` Services
New Era Veterans, Inc. (N.Y. & PA. Registered)
New Hampshire State Veterans Council
New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
New Mexico Department of Veterans Services
New York State Division of Veterans Affairs
Non Commissioned Officers Association
North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs
North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs
Northern Mariana Islands Division of Veterans Affairs - DC&IA
Ohio Department of Veterans Services
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs
OSS-101 Veterans Association
P-38 National Association
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc.
Pennsylvania Department of Military Affairs
Polish Legion of American Veterans, USA
Puerto Rico Public Advocate for Veterans Affairs
Reserve Officers Association of the United States
Rhode Island Division of Veterans Affairs
Second Airborne Ranger Association, Inc.
Society of Military Widow
Society of Military Widows
South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs
South Dakota Division of Veterans Affairs
Student Veterans of America
Swords to Plowshares: Veterans Rights Organization
Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs
Texas Veterans Commission
The Center for Internee Rights, Inc.
The Chosin Few
The Forty & Eight
The National Veterans Organization of America
The Red River Valley Association
The Retired Enlisted Association
The Women Marines Association
TLC Brotherhood, Inc.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Inc.
U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II
U.S. Navy Veterans Association
United Spinal Association
United States Army Warrant Officers Association
United States Federation of Korea Veterans Org.
United States Merchant Marine Veterans of WWII
United States Merchant Marine Veterans of WWII
United States Navy Cruiser Sailors Association
United States Navy Veterans Association
United States Submarine Veterans (USSVI)
United States Submarine Veterans of World War II
United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.
United States Volunteers-America, Inc.
US Submarine Veterans of World War II
USCG Chief Petty Officers Association
Utah Department of Veterans Affairs
Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs
Veterans and Military Families for Progress
Veterans Assistance Foundation, Inc.
Veterans for America
Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
Veterans of Modern Warfare, Inc.
Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge
Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc./Vets. Coalition
Veterans of World War I of the USA, Inc.
Veterans` Widows/ers International Network, Inc.
Vietnam Veterans Institute
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Vietnam Veterans of America
Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation, Inc.
Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs
Virginia Department of Veterans Services
Washington Department of Veterans Affairs
WAVES National
West Virginia Division of Veterans Affairs
Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs
Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II
Women In Military Service for America Memo. Found.
Women Veterans of America
Women`s Army Corps Veterans Association
Women`s Overseas Service League
Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warriors
Wyoming Veterans Commission