BVA9500518 
DOCKET NO.  93-05 690     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in San Juan,
Puerto Rico

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Puerto Rico Public Advocate for
Veterans Affairs

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Robert P. Regan, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The appellant served on active duty from October 1944 to December
1945.

This matter came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on
appeal of an October 1992 rating determination by the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office (RO) located in San
Juan, Puerto Rico.  The appellant, during his hearing at the RO
in November 1992, appears to be raising the issue of entitlement
to service connection for tinnitus.  This issue has not been
developed for appellate consideration and is referred to the RO
for appropriate action.

REMAND

The appellant in his substantive appeal requested that the
medical records from a VA facility be obtained and reviewed in
conjunction with his claim.  Accordingly, the case is REMANDED
for the following actions:

1.  The RO should obtain the medical
records from the VA facility in San Juan,
Puerto Rico covering the period from 1980
to the present.

2  It is requested that the RO provide
translations of the medical statements from
Dr. R. B. Barreras received in October 1973
and L. R. Rios Mellado, M. D., dated in
August 1992.

3.  The regional office should inform the
veteran that there is a duty to submit
evidence of a well-grounded claim for
service connection.  The best evidence
would consist of competent evidence of the
claimed disability during service, in
proximity to separation from service, or
attributing the disability to service or a
service-connected condition.

Thereafter, if the benefit sought is not granted, the appellant
and his representative should be furnished a supplemental
statement of the case and an opportunity to respond.  The case
should then be returned to the Board for further appellate
consideration.

          H. N. SCHWARTZ
          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 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).