VA accredited VSO's are not "advocates". Veterans Service Officers have been trained to know VA procedures and methods. They know how to file claims that will get results.
Often that result is a denial by the VA. And here is where the VSO can get results - if you don't know what you are doing and try to appeal your claim yourself without using proper protocol, you get put at the back of the line to start over.
And at this moment, regardless of what Obama says, that line is almost 18 months long. SO - your claim that took over a year to be denied, will take another year before you can even BEGIN your appeal.
THIS is why veterans die before even getting care.
In Florida, each county has a VSO that is employed by the state. My county VSO got me hearing aids, even though I never had an exit physical when I got out, and therefore could not prove my hearing loss was service connected. I am in the VA health care system in Priority Group Six, which is boots-on-the-ground Vietnam vets.
On the other hand, you could pay big dollars to a private attorney, and get zero results.