BVA9504080 
DOCKET NO.  93-12 949     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Nashville,
Tennessee

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased rating for conversion reaction,
currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:  The American Legion

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

B. Anderson, Counsel

REMAND

The appellant had active duty from November 1944 to May 1946.

This appeal arises from an October 1991 rating decision of the
Nashville, Tennessee, regional office (RO), which denied an
increased rating for conversion reaction.  This disorder
originally was characterized as being manifested by headaches and
by myalgia in the cervical and lumbar areas of the spine.  More
recent diagnoses have included depression, major depression, and
organic brain syndrome versus major depression.  The last
psychiatric disability evaluation examination of the appellant
for rating purposes occurred in June 1962.

To ensure that VA has met its duty to assist the claimant in
developing the facts pertinent to the claim, the case is REMANDED
to the RO for the following development:

1.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
psychiatric examination to determine the
severity of his service-connected
conversion reaction.  The claims folder
must be made available to the examiner
prior to the examination.  The examination
report should contain a detailed account
of all psychiatric symptomatology.  The
relationship, if any, between conversion
reaction and any other condition
identified should be discussed.  The
examiner should describe how the
conversion reaction affects the veteran's
initiative, efficiency, reliability
levels, and relationships with others.
The examiner should assign a numerical
code under the Global Assessment of
Functioning scale provided in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for
Mental Disorders and specify which
descriptive phrase most appropriately
reflects the veteran's level of
functioning.

2.  Then, after any further development
deemed appropriate, the RO should again
adjudicate the veteran's claim.  The
rating decision should reflect con-
sideration of all potentially applicable
criteria, to include consideration of the
applicability of 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1).
If the benefit sought on appeal is not
granted to the veteran's satisfaction, he
and his representative should be provided
a Supplemental Statement of the Case and
afforded a reasonable opportunity to
respond.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board for further
consideration, if appropriate.  By this remand, the Board
intimates no opinion as to the outcome warranted in this case.
No action is required of the veteran until he is so informed by
the RO.

          GARY L. GICK
          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 deter-
mination.  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 action has been taken in
accordance with the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1994,
Pub. L. No. 103-446, § 303, 108 Stat. 4645, ___ (1994), and 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).