BVA9507560 
DOCKET NO.  93-10 696     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Nashville,
Tennessee

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to an increased evaluation for a psychiatric
disorder, currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

The veteran

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

John D. Nachmann, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active military service from November 1969 to
February 1972.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board)
on appeal from a rating decision of March 1992 by the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) Nashville, Tennessee, Regional Office
(RO).

REMAND

The veteran has submitted a well-grounded claim within the
meaning of 38 U.S.C.A. § 5107(a).  See Murphy v. Derwinski,
1 Vet.App. 78, 81 (1990); Gilbert v. Derwinski, 1 Vet.App. 49, 55
(1990).  That is, the Board finds that he has submitted a claim
which is plausible.  The VA therefore has a duty to assist the
veteran in developing facts pertinent to his claim.  See Littke
v. Derwinski, 1 Vet.App. 90, 91-92 (1990).

During his May 1993 personal hearing, the veteran testified that
he was receiving psychiatric counseling at the VA clinic in
Chattanooga, Tennessee, on a regular basis.  Although these
records probably contain information that is relevant to the
issue on appeal, they have not been associated with the veteran's
claims file.  Other records show that the veteran has recently
received VA psychiatric treatment, including hospitalization,
since he was last examined for compensation purposes.  The VA's
duty to assist requires the conduction of a thorough and
contemporaneous medical examination.  See Green v. Derwinski,
1 Vet.App. 121, 124 (1991).  In the Board's judgment, in view of
the veteran's treatment and his testimony at the RO,  further
development of the case is warranted before a final decision is
reached by the Board.

Accordingly, this case is REMANDED for the following actions:

1.  The RO should contact the Chattanooga,
Tennessee, VA Satellite Outpatient Clinic
and obtain all medical records pertaining
to the veteran as well as any recent
pertinent records of treatment elsewhere.
All records obtained should be associated
with the veteran's claims file.

2.  After the above development has been
completed, the veteran should be afforded a
special psychiatric examination in order to
determine the nature and severity of his
anxiety disorder, including post-traumatic
stress disorder.  The examination should be
conducted in accordance with the
Physician's Guide for Disability Evaluation
Examinations (1985).  In addition, the
examiner should provide an assessment of
the veteran's level of functioning as
measured by the Global Assessment of
Functioning Scale (GAF Scale), along with
an explanation as to what the assigned
score represents.  The examiner should be
requested to offer an opinion as to the
extent to which the service-connected
disability (as distinct from any
nonservice-connected psychiatric
disability), interferes with the veterans
initiative, flexibility, efficiency and
reliability levels.  The claims folder
should be made available to the examiner
for review.

After completion of the requested development, the case should be
reviewed by the RO.  If the determination remains adverse to the
veteran in any way, the case should be returned to the Board
after compliance with the provisions for processing appeals,
including the issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.
The veteran and his representative should be provided with the
applicable time period for response thereto.

The purpose of this REMAND is to obtain additional development,
and the Board does not intimate any opinion as to the merits of
the case, either favorable or unfavorable, at this time.  No
action is required of the veteran until he is notified.

          CHARLES E. HOGEBOOM
          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) (1994).