BVA9505383 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 284     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Montgomery,
Alabama

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for a shoulder disability.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee
disability.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for a sinus disability.

4.  Entitlement to service connection for an eye disability.

5.  Entitlement to service connection for a gastrointestinal
disability.

6.  Entitlement to service connection for a heart disability.

7.  Entitlement to service connection for a groin rash.

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from July 1975 to July 1992.  Prior
service was not verified by the regional office.  The issue of
entitlement to service connection for respiratory and throat
disability was withdrawn by the appellant.

The veteran served over 20 years and filed a claim for service
connection soon after release from service, but a VA examination
was not conducted.  In addition, the veteran's complete dates of
service are not known because of a decision to not verify
service.

To ensure that VA has met its duty to assist the appellant in
developing the facts pertinent to the claim, the case is REMANDED
to the regional office (RO) for the following development:

1.  The regional office shall verify all
periods of service and obtain the medical
records from all periods of service (if
such records are not currently on file).

2.  The RO should obtain the names and
addresses of all medical care providers who
treated the veteran since service.  After
securing the necessary release, the RO
should obtain these records.

3.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
examination to determine the presence or
absence of a groin rash, cardiovascular
disability, gastrointestinal disability,
left shoulder disability, knee disability,
eye disability or sinus disability.  The
claims folder should be made available to
the examiner for review before the
examination.  All positive and negative
findings should be reported in detail.  If
a claimed disability does not exist, or is
a congenital or developmental defect or
refractive error, such should be noted in
the report

4.  The veteran is to be informed that he
has a duty to submit evidence of a well
grounded claim for service connection for
each disability in question.  If he has
current evidence of the disabilities on
appeal, he must submit the evidence.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board, if in
order.  The Board intimates no opinion as to the ultimate outcome
of this case.  The appellant need take no action unless otherwise
notified.  The Board reserves the right to dismiss any issue that
is not well grounded.

          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.

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).