BVA9502897 
DOCKET NO.  93-09 066     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Houston, Texas

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for residuals of heat
stroke.

2.  Entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: The American Legion

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

G. Wm. Thompson, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from June 1968 to September 1969.

This appeal arises from a June 1992 Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Houston, Texas, Regional Office (RO) rating action
that denied service connection for residuals of heat stroke and a
permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

In the course of this appeal the veteran raised the issue of
entitlement to service connection for post traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).  This claim is not inextricably intertwined with
the issues on appeal, has not been developed for appeal, and will
not be considered by the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) at
this time.

REMAND

When the veteran filed his claim for VA disability benefits in
May 1992, he reported that he had filed a claim for Social
Security disability benefits.  Medical records associated with
that claim would be pertinent to this appeal.

Additionally, there is no medical evidence of the current status
of the veteran's service-connected right mastoiditis with
bilateral hearing loss and the nonservice- connected
schizophrenia.  It is also noted that although he has undergone
bilateral inguinal hernia surgery, the residuals of the surgery
have not been assigned a percentage rating.  Pension cases
require the assignment of a percentage rating for each
disability.

In regard to the veteran's claim for service connection for
residuals of heat stroke, the veteran has not specified what the
residuals are.

In view of the above, this case is REMANDED for actions as
follows:

1.  The veteran should be contacted and
requested to provide a list of all
employment since service, including any
current employment.  Using information
provided by the veteran, the RO should
contact any employers since 1988 to
ascertain the basis for termination of
employment.

2.  The veteran should be requested to set
forth the specific disability or
disabilities he believes are due to claimed
heat stroke during service and to submit or
identify medical evidence supporting his
claim for service connection.  He should
also submit or identify evidence in support
of his claim for pension benefits.  Any
evidence identified should be obtained by
the RO.

3.  The RO should attempt to secure all
records associated with the veteran's claim
for Social Security disability benefits.

4.  The veteran should be afforded
examinations by the VA, including a general
medical examination and special psychiatric
and ear, nose and throat examinations with
audiological studies, to determine the
nature and extent of all disabilities.  All
indicated laboratory and other testing
should be conducted.  A Global Assessment of
Functioning (GAF) score, with an explanation
of what it represents, should be provided by
the psychiatric examiner.    The claims
folder and a separate copy of this remand
should be made available to the examiners
prior to the examinations.

5.  Following completion of the above
actions, the claims should be reviewed.  If
the claim for service connection is found
to be not well grounded, the veteran should
be advised of the type of evidence needed
to establish a well-grounded claim.  The RO
should review the pension claim with regard
to each disability, and assign a percentage
rating for each, as warranted under
pertinent rating schedule provisions.  The
"average person" and "unemployability"
criteria must be considered.  If any
decision remains adverse to the veteran, a
supplemental statement of the case,
containing (if appropriate) the schedular
criteria for rating all disabilities,
should be issued, and the veteran and his
representative afforded a reasonable time
to respond thereto.

The case should then be returned to the Board for further
appellate consideration.  The veteran need do nothing until
notified.

          JANE E. SHARP
          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).