BVA9501306 
DOCKET NO.  93-05 265     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for multiple sclerosis.

2.  Entitlement to an increased rating for post-traumatic stress
disorder, currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Paralyzed Veterans of America,
Inc.

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

K. Ehrman, Associate Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from September 1968 to September
1970.

By correspondence of November 1993, the veteran, through his
representative, indicates that an additional VA psychiatric
examination of the veteran is necessary prior to any further
appellate consideration of his claims.  The veteran seeks a more
thorough and comprehensive VA psychiatric examination, to include
a social and industrial survey, and he claims that the severity
of symptoms resulting from his service-connected post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) have increased in severity since his most
recent VA psychiatric examination in September 1992.

The Board notes that VA outpatient, psychiatric consultation
notes of July 1992 and October 1993 indicate that the veteran is
not employable as a sole result of PTSD symptoms, yet, the VA
psychiatric examination report of September 1992 includes a
notation that the veteran's PTSD includes only "mild anxiety,"
and mild depression.  Additionally, the Board notes the VA
hospital summary, for treatment received from December 1991 to
January 1992, notes multiple psychiatric diagnoses, to include
PTSD and borderline personality disorder, with narcissistic,
stubborn, self-defeating traits.  Furthermore, the September 1992
VA psychiatric examination report notes marital difficulty
associated with PTSD.  Accordingly, the Board is of the opinion
that a more complete and thorough VA psychiatric examination of
the veteran, to include a social and industrial survey, would be
helpful in the evaluation of his PTSD claim.

Accordingly, the case is remanded for the following:

1.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
psychiatric examination to determine the
severity of PTSD symptomatology.  The
claims folder should be made available to
the examiner for review before the
examination.  Symptomatology resulting from
service-connected PTSD should be
distinguished from nonservice-connected
disability, if possible.  A Global
Assessment of Functioning Scale should be
entered.

2.  The veteran should be afforded a VA
social and industrial survey to assess the
veteran's employment history and day-to-day
functioning, with specific reference to
disability resulting from PTSD symptoms.  A
written copy of the report should be
inserted into the claims folder for use in
the evaluation of his claims.

3.  The claims file should be referred to a
neurologist.  It is requested that the
neurologist review the file and render an
opinion as to when multiple sclerosis was
first manifested.  In particular, the
examiner should render an opinion as to
whether symptoms noted in the May 1977
medical reports were consistent with
multiple sclerosis.

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 veteran need take no action until he is so informed by the RO.

          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).