BVA9506309 DOCKET NO. 93-06 606 ) DATE ) ) On appeal from the decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Louis, Missouri THE ISSUE Entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. REPRESENTATION Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL Appellant ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD Milo H. Hawley, Counsel INTRODUCTION The veteran had active service from May 1971 to January 1974. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 1991 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office in St. Louis, Missouri (RO). REMAND It is contended that the veteran has post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of stressors he experienced during his active service in the Republic of Vietnam. Stressors reported by the veteran include being subjected to incoming rocket attacks and firing his weapon in defense of his assigned position. A discharge summary relating to a period of VA hospitalization in January and February 1991 reflects that the veteran reported that he had a shrapnel injury to his back in Vietnam. During a personal hearing in January 1992, the veteran, for the first time, identified two individuals by name, who had been in his unit and were killed. The names of these individuals had not been given at the time the RO contacted the United States Army and Joint Services Environmental Support Group in January 1991, to obtain information concerning the alleged stressors. Post service clinical treatment records reflect that the veteran has had difficulty in remembering specifics concerning his inservice stressors. However, the clinical evidence reflects that ongoing attempts had been made to aid the veteran in these recollections. This is evidenced by the veteran's recollection of the two individuals who were killed in his unit. Also, during the veteran's personal hearing he indicated that he had received treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder at a VA hospital in Topeka, Kansas, in February and March 1991. Clinical records with respect to that hospitalization have not been associated with the veteran's claims file. On the basis of the above information the Board believes that additional development is required. Accordingly, the case is REMANDED to the RO for the following: 1. The RO should make all reasonable efforts to obtain all service administrative records relating to the veteran's service assignments and duties, including but not limited to the history of the units to which he was assigned, morning reports, personnel records and sick call records. 2. The veteran should then be contacted and asked to provide detailed information (dates, names, places) regarding each stressful event he endured in service, including but not limited to, when he sustained a shrapnel injury to his back and when the two individuals, identified during the personal hearing as: "Colin Strausberg" and last name "Wirlhol," were killed. Following completion of the above development, the case should be sent to the United States Army and Joint Services Environmental Support Group, 7798 Cissna Road, Springfield, Virginia 22150, for verification of the claimed stressors. 3. The RO should contact the veteran and inquire as to where he has been receiving mental health care. The RO should contact the health care provider(s) identified and request copies of all medical records relating to the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder from September 1993 until the present. Copies of records relating to the hospitalization at the Topeka VA Hospital in February and March 1991 should also be obtained. 4. Thereafter, the veteran should be scheduled for a special 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. If a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder is made, the examiner must state the underlying stressors upon which the diagnosis is based. A complete rationale for any opinion expressed must be provided. 5. Following completion of the foregoing, the RO must review the claims folder 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, appropriate corrective action is to be implemented. When the above development has been completed, the case should be reviewed by the RO. If service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder remains denied, the veteran and his representative should be furnished with a supplemental statement of the case and be given the appropriate opportunity to respond thereto. The case should then be returned to the Board for further appellate consideration. No action by the veteran is required until he receives further notice. The Board intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, as to the ultimate disposition warranted in this case pending completion of the requested development. 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).