BVA9502654 
DOCKET NO.  93-09 953     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Fort Harrison,
Montana

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased rating for anxiety reaction,
currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

The appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Jeffrey A. Pisaro, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active service from December 1942 to February
1946.  This appeal arises from a June 1992 rating decision of the
Fort Harrison, Montana, Regional Office (RO).

The veteran testified in August 1992 that he suffered from acute
social and industrial impairment.  He indicated that he was
unable to get along with people, even with his wife of many years
who had recently left him.  He also described an inability to
control his temper, severe sleep disturbance, and frequent
nightmares.  The veteran indicated that medications did little to
alleviate his symptoms and that he had requested VA mental health
treatment, which had been denied.  Available treatment records
from the Fort Harrison VA medical center show reports of
increasing nervousness.  Although a psychological consultation
was scheduled in December 1991, there is no record of an
evaluation.  Unfortunately, the October 1992 VA psychiatric
examination report is inadequate to assess the impact of the
veteran's psychoneurotic symptomatology on his social and
industrial adaptability inasmuch as the examiner did not provide
a Global Assessment of Functioning scale code or otherwise
indicate the degree to which the psychiatric disorder results in
reduction in initiative, flexibility, efficiency and reliability
levels.  In view of the foregoing, the Board is persuaded that
the veteran should be afforded further VA psychiatric examination
in connection with this appeal.

Accordingly, the case is REMANDED to the RO for the following
actions:

1.  The RO should contact the veteran and
obtain the names and addresses of all
mental health care providers from whom he
has received treatment for his psycho-
neurosis in recent years.  Thereafter, the
RO should obtain legible copies of all
records which have not already been
obtained, to include those from the Fort
Harrison VA medical center from June 1992
to the present.  Once obtained, all records
must be associated with the claims folder.

2.  Following completion of the above
development, the veteran should be afforded
a comprehensive VA examination in
psychiatry.  This study should be conducted
in accordance with the VA Physician's Guide
for Disability Evaluation Examinations.
All indicated tests, including appropriate
psychological studies with applicable
subscales, should be conducted.  The claims
file must be made available to and reviewed
by the examiner prior to the examination.
The disability should be evaluated in
relation to its history, with emphasis upon
the limitation of activity imposed by the
service-connected psychoneurosis.  The
examiner should assign a Global Assessment
of Functioning Score consistent with the
American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual For
Mental Disorders, and explain what the
assigned score represents.  In addition,
the examiner should also discuss the
impairment of the veteran's ability to
establish and maintain relationships as
well as the reduction in initiative,
efficiency and reliability levels which may
be attributable to the psychoneurosis (as
distinct from impairment attributable to
other conditions).

3.  Following completion of the foregoing,
the RO must review the claims folder and
ensure that the foregoing development has
been completed in full.  If any development
is incomplete, appropriate corrective
action should be implemented.  When the
requested development is fully completed,
the RO should readjudicate the veteran's
claim.  The rating decision should reflect
consideration of the applicability of the
provisions of 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.321(b)(1),
4.7, 4.129, and 4.130.  If the claim is not
granted to the veteran's satisfaction, he
and his representative should be furnished
with a supplemental statement of the case.
They should then be afforded the applicable
time to respond.

Thereafter, subject to current appellate procedures, the case
should be returned to the Board for further appellate
consideration, if appropriate.  The veteran need take no action
until he is further informed.  The purpose of this REMAND is to
obtain additional information and to ensure due process of law.
No inference should be drawn regarding the final disposition of
the claim as a result of this action.

          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) (1993).