BVA9508057 
DOCKET NO.  93-16 768     )       DATE
          )
          )

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

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to special monthly pension benefits on the basis of a
need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: AMVETS

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. W. Loeb, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran served on active duty from May 1945 to September
1946.  This case came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) on appeal from an October 1992 rating decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St.
Petersburg, Florida.

REMAND

Although the veteran, who is receiving a nonservice-connected
pension, noted in his March 1993 substantive appeal that he had
recently been hospitalized at the VA Medical Center in Cleveland,
Ohio, records of that hospitalization are not on file.  The Board
also notes that the veteran has not undergone an examination to
determine his housebound status.  In light of these
circumstances, this case is REMANDED to the RO for the following
actions:

1.  The RO should obtain, and associate
with the claims file, the veteran's
clinical records since 1992 from the VA
Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

2.  The veteran should be provided a
pension examination, performed and reported
in accordance with the Physician's Guide
for Disability Evaluation Examinations
(March 1, 1985), to determine all current
disabilities, to include any warranted
special examinations, and an examination
for housebound status or permanent need for
regular aid and attendance.  The claims
folder should be made available to each
examiner for review prior to the
examination.

3.  After the above, the RO should
readjudicate the issue on appeal, to
include assigning a percentage rating to
each of the veteran's disabilities and
consideration of the applicable laws and
regulations.

After the above actions have been completed, if the benefit
sought is not granted to the veteran's satisfaction, a
supplemental statement of the case should be issued.  The veteran
and his representative should then be afforded an opportunity to
respond.  The case should then be returned to the Board, if
otherwise in order.  The veteran need take no action until
otherwise notified.

          THOMAS J. DANNAHER
          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 action has been taken in
accordance with the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1994,
Pub. L. No. 103-446, § 303, 108 Stat. 4645, ___ (1994), and 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) (1994).