BVA9504654 
DOCKET NO.  93-06 368     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Honolulu,
Hawaii

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for alcoholism and drug
abuse.

2.  Entitlement to an increased evaluation for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), currently evaluated as 50 percent
disabling.

3.  Entitlement to a total disability rating on the basis of
unemployability.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. W. Loeb, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from February 1966 to October
1969.  This case was remanded in October 1993 by the Board of
Veterans' Appeals (Board) to the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) Regional Office (RO) in Honolulu, Hawaii for additional
development, to include adjudication of the additional
inextricably intertwined issues of entitlement to service
connection for alcoholism and drug abuse and to a total rating
based on unemployability.

REMAND

In reviewing the record, the Board notes that although the
veteran is receiving Social Security disability benefits, a copy
of the decision granting benefits and the evidence upon which the
decision was based is not on file.  Additionally, although a
September 1994 letter from a physician with the Pacific Center
for PTSD reveals that the veteran had been hospitalized in the
PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Program at Hilo, Hawaii, from
July 7, 1994, to September 15, 1994, copies of these hospital
records are not on file.  According to a December 1994 rating
decision, the veteran was to be scheduled for a review
psychiatric examination to determine his current level of
functioning; however, this examination report is also not on
file.  Consequently, further development is necessary prior to
final disposition of this case.  Therefore, this case is being
REMANDED to the RO for the following actions:

1.  The veteran should be permitted to
submit any additional evidence that is
pertinent to the issues on appeal.  He
should be requested to provide the name,
address, and dates of treatment of any
physician or facility, including the VA,
that has treated him for a psychiatric
disability since September 1994.  Any
medical provider identified should be asked
for copies of the veteran's clinical
records not currently on file.  Any records
obtained should be associated with the
claims folder.  The veteran should be asked
to sign any necessary consent forms for
release of his private medical records.

2.  The RO should contact the Division of
Benefit Services, Office of Disability
Operations, Social Security Administration,
Baltimore, Maryland 21241, and request
copies of the disability award decision and
the complete records upon which the Social
Security Administration based its
determination of disability.  All records
so obtained should be added to the
veteran's claims file.

3.  The RO should obtain, and associate
with the claims file, copies of the
veteran's above noted hospitalization for
PTSD from July to September 1994.  An
attempt should also be made to determine
whether the veteran was given a recent
review examination of his service-connected
PTSD.  If a recent examination was
conducted, the examination report should be
associated with the claims file.

4.  If the veteran did not undergo a VA
psychiatric examination after September
1994, he should be afforded a special
psychiatric examination by a board of
certified specialists, if available, in
accordance with the VA Physician's Guide
for Disability Evaluation Examinations, to
determine the current severity of his
service-connected PTSD.  All necessary
tests and studies should be conducted, and
all findings should be reported in detail.
The psychiatric examiner should indicate
the appropriate Global Assessment of
Functioning (GAF) Numerical Score and
provide the associated descriptive phrase
that explains its meaning.  The examiner
should offer an opinion as to whether it is
at least as likely as not that alcoholism
and/or drug abuse, if present, is
attributable to PTSD.  The examiner should
also comment regarding the veteran's level
of occupational impairment.  The rationale
for all opinions expressed should be fully
explained.  The claims folder must be made
available to the examiner for review before
examination of the veteran.

5.  Thereafter, the RO should readjudicate
the issues on appeal including, if
appropriate with respect to the issue of
entitlement to an increased rating for
PTSD, consideration of 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(c)
(1993).

If the complete benefits sought are not granted, a supplemental
statement of the case should be issued and the veteran and his
representative should be given an opportunity to respond.  The
case should then be returned to the Board.  The veteran need take
no action until notified.

          ROBERT E. SULLIVAN
          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) (1994).