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Accredited in Oxnard, CA
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tammy Bender | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2013 (est.) | 28897 |
| Felipe Hernandez | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2025 (est.) | 59798 |
| Emanuel Herrera | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2025 (est.) | 59797 |
| James McHugh | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2021 (est.) | 50868 |
| Tyler Miller | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2020 (est.) | 48670 |
| Kevin Peterson | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2025 (est.) | 60100 |
| Richard Rudas | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2023 (est.) | 54010 |
| Juan Sanchez | 805-477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans | 2025 (est.) | 60101 |
| Juan Soto | (805) 477-5155shared line | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs, Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2025 (est.) | 59504 |
| Douglas Reeve | (805) 407-9851 | Attorney | — | 2026 | 62188 |
Within 25 miles
| Name | Phone | Type | Organization | City | Accredited | VA reg # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renee Rivera | 805-659-7537 | VSO representative | California Department of Veterans Affairs | Ventura | 2023 (est.) | 54819 |
| Joseph Engle | 805-297-8121 | Attorney | — | Simi Valley | 2023 | 55101 |
| Terri Hilliard Olson | 805-778-0111 | Attorney | — | Westlake Village | 2011 | 19258 |
| Krista Lara | 805-398-5076 | Attorney | — | Piru | 2024 | 55920 |
| Erica Wise | 805-376-1000 | Attorney | — | Simi Valley | 2023 | 55280 |
The organizations behind these representatives
| Organization | Accredited reps nationally |
In California | Median years accredited | Appointing them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Legion | 3,712 | 121 | 5.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| California Department of Veterans Affairs | 409 | 405 | 3.7 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Disabled American Veterans | 1,675 | 94 | 5.1 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Natl Assoc'n of County Veterans Service Officers | 1,992 | 176 | 4.5 | Paper VA Form 21-22 only |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 2,297 | 59 | 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 California is
1,474,935 veterans live in California and 900 accredited representatives of all kinds are listed there — about 1,639 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 California
All accredited representatives in California · Search by ZIP code
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