BVA9502368 
DOCKET NO.  92-03 648     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Petersburg,
Florida

THE ISSUE

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

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

The veteran

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. T. Hutcheson, Associate Counsel
REMAND

The veteran had active military service from February 1970 to
November 1971.  This matter came before the Board of Veterans'
Appeals (hereinafter "the Board") on appeal from a May 1990
rating decision of the St. Petersburg, Florida Regional Office
(hereinafter "the RO") which determined that new and material
evidence had not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of
entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic stress
disorder.  In January 1993, the Board remanded this appeal to the
RO for further development of the record which included (1)
attempting to obtain additional service medical records from the
National Personnel Record Center and the United States Department
of the Army; (2) obtaining VA clinical documentation reflecting
treatment after October 4, 1990; and (3) affording the veteran a
psychiatric examination by a board of two VA psychiatrists.
Additional VA treatment records were incorporated into the
record.  In February 1993, the veteran underwent a psychiatric
examination conducted by one VA psychiatrist.  The veteran has
been represented throughout this appeal by the Veterans of
Foreign Wars of the United States.

In its May 1994 written argument and November 1994 written
presentation, the accredited representative advances that the
RO failed to fully comply with the instructions set forth in
the Board's January 1993 remand and requests that this appeal
be again remanded to the RO so that the veteran may be
afforded a psychiatric examination by a board of two VA
psychiatrists.  In reviewing the record, the Board observes
that the RO indeed failed to comply with the instructions set
forth in the January 1993 remand by not scheduling the
veteran for a psychiatric evaluation conducted by a board of
two VA psychiatrists.  Additionally, the claims file contains
no documentation indicating whether additional service
medical records have been requested from either the National
Personnel Record Center or the United States Department of
the Army.  Accordingly, the veteran's appeal is again
REMANDED for the following action:

1.  The RO should contact the National
Personnel Records Center and the United
States Department of the Army and request
that all available service medical records
be forwarded for incorporation into the
record.

2.  The RO should then schedule the veteran
for a psychiatric examination conducted by
a board of two VA psychiatrists in order to
determine the current nature and severity
of his psychiatric disability.  The
examination should be conducted in
accordance with the Physician's Guide to
Disability Evaluation Examinations.  All
indicated tests and studies should be
accomplished and the findings then reported
in detail.  The examiners should address
whether the veteran suffers from
post-traumatic stress disorder.  If a
diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder
is advanced, the examiners should identify
the specific psychosocial stressors
supporting it.  The claims folder should be
made available to the examiners prior to
the examination.

When the requested action has been completed, and if his claim
continues to be denied, the veteran should be afforded a
reasonable period of time in which to respond to a supplemental
statement of the case.  Thereafter, subject to current appellate
procedures, the case should be returned to the Board for further
appellate consideration if appropriate.  The veteran need not
take any action unless he is further informed.  The purpose of
this REMAND is to allow for further development of the record.
No inference should be drawn from it regarding the final
disposition of the veteran's claim.

          JEFF MARTIN
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals
          (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)
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 is appealable to the Court.  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).