BVA9503319 
DOCKET NO.  93-08 524     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in San
Diego, California

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for psychiatric disease.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active duty from June 1972 to March 1985.  This
matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeal (Board) on appeal
from a November 1991 decision of the RO.

REMAND

The veteran contends that his current psychiatric disease began
when he was treated in service in 1983 for numerous emotional
problems.  A statement from a clinical psychologist has been
submitted in support of the appeal and indicates that the
veteran's "major depression is permanent and stems from his time
in the U. S. Army and their treatment (or lack there of), of
him."  While this presents a plausible basis for his claim,
further development is indicated in the Board's opinion.

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 take appropriate steps to
contact the veteran in order to obtain the
names and addresses of all medical care
providers who have treated or evaluated him
for mental disease since service.  After
securing the necessary information, the RO
should obtain copies of all records from
the identified sources.  This should
include any clinical documents pertaining
to treatment by VA.

2.  The veteran should be afforded an
examination by a board of two VA
psychiatrists in order to determine the
current nature and likely etiology of any
psychopathology.  Complete psychological
testing should be done in this regard, and
a social survey should be undertaken to
assist the examiners.  The claims folder
should be made available to the examiners
for review before the examination, and they
should elicit and record a complete
clinical history from the veteran.  Based
on their examination findings and the
review of the evidence of record, the
examiners should offer an opinion as to the
medical probability that any current mental
disease is causally related to
manifestations exhibited in service, as
claimed by the veteran.  A detailed
explanation of the opinion also was should
be presented.

3.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the veteran's
claim.  If any benefit sought on appeal
remains denied, then the appellant and
representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case and
given the opportunity to respond thereto.

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 unless otherwise
notified.

          STEPHEN L. WILKINS
          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).