BVA9508014 
DOCKET NO.  93-02 830     )       DATE
          )
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On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Houston, Texas

THE ISSUES

Entitlement to service connection for cysts on testes, ruptured
urinary tract, prostate disorder, jungle rot, and a psychiatric
disorder.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Texas Veterans Commission

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

D. B. Weiss, Associate Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from May 1946 to June 1952, and from
October 1952 to September 1966.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) notes that the veteran may
be impliedly claiming service connection for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), stating in June 1991 that he underwent
"psychiatric trauma" as an alleged prisoner of war (POW) of the
Viet Cong in 1964.  The National Personnel Records Center
certified in September 1992 that its records showed that the
veteran had no POW service.  Hence further development of a claim
of service connection for PTSD (based on POW experiences) would
serve no useful purpose.

The veteran alleges treatment by Dr. K. Anderson, from whom a
July 1991 request for records was returned as undeliverable.  A
new address was received for Dr. Anderson in April 1992, with a
new release of records; however, it does not appear that the
records were again sought.  The records of J. Vazquez, Ph.D.,
also appear to have not been sought, although the veteran has
given his consent to a release of these records.  The veteran has
asserted that he was treated by J. Brewer, Ph.D., from 1982 to
February 1990.  The last time Dr. Brewer's records were requested
was in July 1991, and no response was received to this request.
The veteran apparently submitted a Dispositional Plan of Dr.
Brewer's reflecting treatment from January to March 1984.  As the
veteran has also newly submitted a release form for Dr. Brewer's
records, another request for these records is needed.  Lastly, in
June 1991, he alleged current treatment at Wilford Hall Hospital
at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, but it does not appear that
such records are in the claims file.

To ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has met
its duty to assist the claimant in developing the facts pertinent
to the claim and to ensure full compliance with due process
requirements, the case is REMANDED to the regional office (RO)
for the following development:

1.  The RO should obtain the names and
addresses of all medical care providers who
treated the veteran for any claimed
disorder since January 1992.  After
securing any necessary releases, the RO
should attempt to obtain these records,
which should include the complete records
of any treatment the veteran received at
service facilities as a reserve or retiree.

2.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the record.  If
the benefits sought remain denied, the
appellant and representative should be
furnished a supplemental statement of the
case and given the opportunity to respond.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board, if in
order.  The Board intimates no opinion as to the ultimate outcome
of this case.  The appellant need take no action until otherwise
notified.

          GEORGE R. SENYK
          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) (1994).