BVA9500937 DOCKET NO. 93-09 993 ) DATE ) ) On appeal from the decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Atlanta, Georgia THE ISSUES 1. Entitlement to service connection for a back disability. 2. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). REPRESENTATION Appellant represented by: Georgia Department of Veterans Service ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD Sabrina M. Tilley, Counsel INTRODUCTION The veteran served on active duty from October 1966 to January 1970. As the veteran has expressed no specific disagreement with respect to the developed issue of entitlement to a permanent and total rating for pension purposes in his substantive appeal, the Board does not have jurisdiction over that matter. REMAND The veteran believes that he has PTSD related to his wartime service. In his August 1992 notice of disagreement, the veteran reported that he was treated for two months for his nerves at Martin Army Hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1969. Also, he contends that in 1971, he was hospitalized at Cobb General Hospital for a self-inflicted gunshot wound which he relates to stress caused by his Vietnam experiences. He reports that he currently suffers from flashbacks related to his wartime experiences. Apparently, the reports of such treatment have not been obtained and associated with the veteran's claims file. In additional, the veteran has requested a review of his "201" file. The Board finds that further development is indicated prior to appellate handling of this matter. The Board also is of the opinion that a special orthopedic examination should be accomplished in order to determine the etiology of the veteran's current back condition in light of all the evidence of record. The veteran also should be asked to submit medical records to support his claim. In view of the foregoing, the case is REMANDED to the RO for the following actions: 1. The RO should obtain from the service department the veteran's complete military personnel file. The evidence obtained should be associated with his claims file. 2. The RO should take all appropriate action to contact the veteran in order to obtain information concerning dates, places, unit assignments and circumstances of the veteran's alleged stressors experienced during his claimed service in Vietnam. Particular emphasis should be given to those incidents which the veteran may now reexperience through dreams or flashbacks. 3. Upon completion of the development requested herein, this information should be forward to the United States Army and Joint Services Environmental Support Group, 7798 Cissna Road, Springfield, Virginia 22150, for verification of the indicated incidents or stressors which the veteran reports that he experienced. 4. The RO should also take appropriate steps to contact the veteran in order to obtain information concerning all medical attention he has received for his claimed back disorder since service. The RO should then obtain copies of all records from the identified sources. 5. The RO should afford the veteran a special VA examination in order to determine the nature of his current mental disorder. The presence of PTSD, as defined in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Third Edition, Revised, of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM- III-R), should be confirmed or ruled out. If PTSD is diagnosed, the precipitating stressors should be described fully and correlated with the information received from the service department. Complete psychological testing should be done in this regard. The entire claims file should be made available to the examiner(s) for use in studying the case. 6. The RO also should afford the veteran an orthopedic examination in order to determine the current nature and likely etiology of his current back disability. The examining physician should review the entire clinical record and offer an opinion as to the medical probability that any demonstrated back disability is related to injury or disease noted in his active service. All indicated special studies and tests should be accomplished. The clinical basis of the opinion reached should be set forth in detail. 7. The RO then should review the veteran's claims in light of the additional development. If the benefits sought on appeal are not granted, then the veteran and his representative should be provided with a supplemental statement of the case. After he and his representative have been given an opportunity to respond, the case file should be returned to the Board for further appellate review, if necessary. The purpose of this REMAND is to procure clarifying data and to comply with governing adjudicative procedures. The Board intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, as to the ultimate disposition of this appeal. 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).