BVA9500795 
DOCKET NO.  93-08 832     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Muskogee,
Oklahoma

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for a chronic back disability.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

M. Reynolds, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service February 1982 to May 1984.

This appeal arises from a rating decision of March 1992 from the
Muskogee, Oklahoma, Regional Office (RO), in which service
connection for residuals of a chronic back disability was denied.

REMAND

The veteran contends, in essence, that the RO erred when it
denied service connection for residuals of a back injury.  He
specifically alleges that he injured his back while on duty, and
that he has had back problems since that time.

After a review of the evidence, the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) is of the opinion that additional development of the
record is required prior to further consideration of the
veteran's claim.  The veteran notes in his application for
compensation that he had additional service from March 1985 to
August 1990.  Although the service was not active duty, the
periods of active duty for training should have been verified.

We also note that additional evidence was associate with the
claims file after the file was certified for appeal.

The duty of VA to assist veterans in the development of facts
pertinent to their claims requires that VA accomplish additional
development of the evidence if the record currently before it is
inadequate.  Accordingly, this case is REMANDED for the
following:

1.  The RO should obtain verification of
all periods of active duty for training or
inactive duty training.  The RO should also
attempt to obtain the veteran's service
medical records, which are not already
associated with the veteran's claims
folder.

2.  The regional office should review the
evidence that was associated with the
claims file after the certification of
appeal.

3.  The veteran should be requested to
submit any additional evidence of a current
back disability that he may have in his
possession.

4.  Following completion of the above, the
RO should again review the veteran's claim,
and determine if service connection for a
back disability can be established.  If the
decision remains adverse to the veteran, he
and his representative should be provided
with a reasonable period of time within
which to respond thereto.  The case should
thereafter be returned to the Board for
further consideration as appropriate.

The veteran need take no action until he is so informed.  The
purposes of this REMAND are to obtain additional evidence and to
ensure compliance with due process considerations.

          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.
          (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

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).