BVA9503757 
DOCKET NO.  93-11 952     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Lincoln,
Nebraska

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for melioidosis, hearing
loss, and a back disorder.

2.  Entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for post-
traumatic stress disorder.

3.  Entitlement to a compensable rating for malaria.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Nebraska Department of Veterans'
Affairs

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

D. B. Weiss, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active military service from November 1967 to
November 1969.

Although the veteran mentioned his right ankle in his notice of
disagreement, this issue was not developed for appellate review
because the issue was in a deferred status at the time of the
notice of disagreement.  Thus, the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) does not have jurisdiction over this issue.  In his
substantive appeal, however, the veteran timely disagreed with
the evaluation for his service-connected right ankle disorder.
This issue is not inextricably intertwined with the instant
claims.  Therefore, it is referred to the regional office (RO)
for development including the issuance of a statement of the
case.

REMAND

In a statement dated in May 1993, the representative objects to
the neuropsychiatric examination conducted in this case as
perfunctory in its assessment of the effect of post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) on the veteran's industrial capacity.  The
representative further points out that the veteran has alleged
treatment for his PTSD and a back disorder, the records of which
treatment have not been sought.  To ensure that Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) has met its duty to assist the appellant in
developing the facts pertinent to the claims, the case is
REMANDED to the RO for the following development:

1.  The RO should obtain the names and
addresses of all medical care providers who
treated the veteran for a back disorder or
a neuropsychiatric disorder.  After
securing the necessary release, the RO
should attempt to obtain these records.

2.  After the above records have been
secured to the extent possible, the RO
should schedule the veteran for a special
VA psychiatric examination to determine the
nature and extent of all of the veteran's
neuropsychiatric disorders, to include
PTSD.  The examiner should comment upon the
etiological relationship, if any, between
any multiple diagnoses rendered, and should
comment on the veteran's functional
impairment from PTSD, by utilizing the
Global Assessment of Functioning Scale
found in the American Psychiatric
Association:  Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders; an explanation
of the score assigned should be provided by
the examiner.  The claims folder must be
provided to the examiner prior to the
examination.  The examination should be
preceded by a social and industrial survey
and the veteran should be asked to submit
documentation from his current or former
employers concerning any difficulty with
employment.

3.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the record.  If
any benefit sought on appeal, for which a
notice of disagreement has been filed,
remains denied, the appellant and
representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case, which
should consider applying the provisions of
38 U.S.C.A. § 1154(b), relating to combat,
to the service connection claims.  The
veteran and representative should be given
the opportunity to respond thereto.

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 until otherwise
notified.

          WILLIAM J. REDDY
          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).