BVA9505021 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 561     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in San Francisco,
California

THE ISSUE

Whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a
claim of entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: California Department of
Veterans Affairs

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

M. Auer, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran served on active duty from August 1967 to May 1971
and from November 1984 to June 1986.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to
include PTSD was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
in January 1989.  This appeal arises from an April 1992 rating
decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), San
Francisco, California, Regional Office (RO) which declined to
reopen a claim for service connection for PTSD.

In a statement, dated in April 1993, the veteran's representative
stated that over the years the veteran has been given many
different diagnoses to describe his problems.  It is argued that
the veteran's psychiatric problems have never been clearly
diagnosed, and that if he had been examined for PTSD, the results
may have differed.  In a statement from the veteran, dated in
October 1991, he describes several stressful incidents he claims
occurred in service and the Board notes that the veteran received
a Combat Action Ribbon during service.  It does not appear that
he has ever given this history to any VA examiner.  The veteran
also stated that records relating to his PTSD were already in the
claims file.  Following a review of the claims file, Board is
unable to locate the described records.  In light of the
foregoing the case is REMANDED to the RO for the following
actions:

1.  The RO should request the complete
records of all treatment rendered by the VA
to the veteran, specifically including any
treatment given for PTSD.  Care should be
taken by the RO so that duplicate records
are not placed in the claims folder.

2.  The RO should request from the veteran
a comprehensive statement containing as
much detail as possible regarding the
stressors to which he alleges he was
exposed in service.  The veteran should be
asked to provide specific details of the
claimed stressful events during service,
such as dates, places, detailed
descriptions of events, and identifying
information concerning any other
individuals involved in the events,
including their names, ranks, units of
assignment or any other identifying detail.

3.  The RO should arrange for the veteran
to be given an examination by a board of
two VA psychiatrists, if available, who
have not previously examined him to
determine the nature and severity of all
psychiatric disorders that are present, and
specifically whether a diagnosis of PTSD is
supported.  The veteran's history of
combat-related stressful events should be
elicited and reported in detail for the
purpose of determining whether exposure to
a stressor in service has resulted in
current psychiatric symptoms and whether
the diagnostic criteria to support the
diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder
have been satisfied.  The examination
report should reflect review of pertinent
material in the claims folder.  The
examiners should integrate the previous
psychiatric findings and diagnoses with
current findings to obtain a true picture
of the nature of the veteran's psychiatric
status.  If the diagnosis of post-traumatic
stress disorder is deemed appropriate, the
examiners should comment upon the link
between the current symptomatology and one
or more of the in-service stressors
reported by the veteran.  The report of
examination should include the complete
rationale for all opinions expressed.  All
necessary special studies or tests, to
include psychological testing and
evaluation, such as the Mississippi Scale
for Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorders, should be accomplished.  The
claims folder must be made available to the
examiners prior to the examination.

4.  The RO should then review the record
and ensure that all the above actions have
been completed.  When the RO is satisfied
that the record is complete and the
psychiatric examination is adequate for
rating purposes, the claim for service
connection for PTSD should be
readjudicated.

If the benefit sought on appeal is not granted to the veteran's
satisfaction, a supplemental statement of the case should be
prepared and the veteran and his representative should be given a
reasonable period of time for reply.  Thereafter, the claim
should be returned to the Board for further review, if otherwise
in order.  No action is required of the veteran until he receives
further notice.  The Board does not intimate any factual or legal
conclusions as to any final outcome warranted in the appeal.

          WARREN W. RICE, JR.
          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).