BVA9502771 
DOCKET NO.  93-06 493     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in No. Little
Rock, Arkansas

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased rating for depressive neurosis with
anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder, rated as 50 percent
disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from July to September 1965,
from April 1968 to April 1970 and from November 1970 to July
1973.

This appeal arose from a rating decision of the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in No. Little Rock.

In a statement dated June 16, 1992, the veteran claimed
entitlement to compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and
service connection for asthma.  In his VA Form 1-9 received in
December 1992, he appears to have claimed entitlement to a total
rating based on individual unemployability.  These issues are
referred to the RO for appropriate action.

REMAND

The veteran underwent VA psychiatric examination in July 1992.
However, the examiner did not relate the psychoneurotic symptoms
to social and industrial inadaptability.  A clinical assessment
as to the resultant degree of social and industrial
inadaptability is necessary to rate the service connected
disability.  In this regard, the examiner also diagnosed
personality disorder in addition to psychoneurosis.  At this
point, the degree of social and industrial inadaptability due
solely to the service connected depressive neurosis with anxiety
and post traumatic stress disorder cannot be determined.

In view of the foregoing, the case is REMANDED for the following
action:

1.  The RO should request copies of the
veteran's treatment records from the VA
Medical Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas,
which date from mid 1992 to the present
time, and associate those records with the
claims file.

2.  The RO should take the necessary steps
to obtain records of the veteran's
treatment from Stephen Harris, Ph.D., which
date from mid 1992 to the present time.

3.  The RO should schedule the veteran for
a comprehensive VA psychiatric examination.
This study must be conducted in accordance
with the VA Physician's Guide for
Disability Evaluation Examinations.  All
indicated tests, including appropriate
psychological studies with applicable
subscales, must be conducted.  The claims
file must be made available to and reviewed
by the examiner prior to the requested
study.  The examiner must also state the
following so that a determination can be
made as to the degree of social and
industrial inadaptability due to the
depressive neurosis with anxiety and post
traumatic stress disorder: (1) What are the
signs and symptoms which are manifestations
of the depressive neurosis with anxiety and
post traumatic stress disorder, as far as
can practically be determined; (2) What are
the signs and symptoms of any underlying
personality disorder, as far as can
practically be determined; and (3) what is
the degree of social and industrial
inadaptability due solely to the depressive
neurosis with anxiety and post traumatic
stress disorder?

4.  When this development has been
completed, the RO must review the claims
file and ensure that all of the foregoing
development actions have been conducted and
completed in full.  If any development is
incomplete, including if the requested
examination does not include all test
reports, special studies or opinions
requested, corrective action should be
undertaken.

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          NANCY I. PHILLIPS
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

          The Board of Veterans' Appeals Administrative Procedures
Improvement Act, Pub. L. No. 103-271, § 6, 108 Stat. 740, ___
(1994), permits a proceeding instituted before the Board to be
assigned to an individual member of the Board for a
determination.  This proceeding has been assigned to an
individual member of the Board.

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 1991), only a decision of the
Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States
Court of Veterans Appeals.  This remand is in the nature of a
preliminary order and does not constitute a decision of the Board
on the merits of your appeal.  38 C.F.R. § 20.1100(b) (1993).