BVA9503933 
DOCKET NO.  88-35 560     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Cleveland, Ohio

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic stress
disorder.

2.  Entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for
pension purposes.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Siobhan Brogdon, Counsel

REMAND

The veteran served on active duty from August 1965 until August
1967.

The record discloses that this case was remanded by a decision of
the Board dated in July 1994 for further development to include
soliciting private clinical data, affording the veteran a
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) period of observation and
evaluation and adjudicating an additional issue.  While the
appellant has related in correspondence dated in October 1994
that he was incarcerated between December 1993 and August 1994,
there is no indication that the agency of original jurisdiction
has since responded to any of the Board of Veterans Appeals'
(Board) remand requests.  There is also no explanation in the
record as to why the additional development was not accomplished.
In the informal hearing presentation of January 1995, the
representative notes the apparent lack of compliance and asks
that the case be remanded again to the regional office (RO) to
address the directions of the prior Board remand.

Additionally, the Board notes in a private medical statement
dated in November 1994 from A. Richmond, M.D., that the veteran
currently receives treatment for peptic ulcer disease and
conditions manifested by chest pain and weakness of the upper
extremities.  The record does not reflect that these disabilities
or disorders have been ascertained by the VA or properly rated
for pension purposes.

Under the circumstances of this case, the Board is of the opinion
that additional development is required before final disposition
of the issues on appeal.  The case is therefore REMANDED to the
RO for the following actions:

1.  The RO should proceed with
implementation of the Board instructions
delineated in the remand decision of July
1994.

2.  During the admission for the period of
observation and evaluation, the veteran
should also be afforded a comprehensive
general medical examination to ascertain
any and all physical disorders and/or
disabilities currently indicated.  These
conditions should be appropriately rated
for non service-connected pension
purposes.

Following completion of the requested development, the RO should
again consider the claims.  If action remains adverse to the
veteran, he and his representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case and be given the opportunity
to respond.  The case should then be returned to the Board for
further appellate consideration.

No action on the part of the veteran is required until he
receives further notice.  The Board intimates no opinion, either
legal or factual, as to the ultimate disposition of the issues on
appeal.

          ALBERT D. TUTERA
          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).