BVA9501344 
DOCKET NO.  93-05 205     )       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 migraine headaches.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for sinusitis.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for a back disorder.

4.  Entitlement to service connection for a right hip disorder.

5.  Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric
disorder.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Disabled American Veterans

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

L. Jennifer Lane, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from July 1971 to July 1975.

The appeal arises from an October 1991 rating decision in which
the Regional Office (RO) denied service connection for migraine
headaches, a sinus condition, back, right hip and elbow disorders
and a psychiatric disorder.  The veteran filed a notice of
disagreement in December 1991.  At a hearing held at the RO in
June 1992, the veteran expressed his desire to withdraw the
appeal of his claim for entitlement to service connection for an
elbow disorder.  Therefore, the claims currently on appeal are
those set forth on the previous page.

REMAND

Review of the claims file discloses that the records pertaining
to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) examinations performed
in September 1991 are not complete.  The first page of the report
of what appears to have been a VA psychiatric examination shows
that that report was continued on at least one other page which
is not of record.  The RO should obtain any missing pages of the
examination report and associate said pages with the claims file.
If the RO is unable to obtain the missing page(s) of the
examination report, the veteran should be afforded another VA
psychiatric examination.

To ensure that the VA has met its duty to assist the veteran in
developing the facts pertinent to his case and to ensure full
compliance with due process requirements, the case is REMANDED to
the RO for the following development:

1.  The RO should obtain copies of all the
records associated with the VA psychiatric
examination performed in September 1991.
If the RO is not able to obtain all of said
records, the veteran should be scheduled
for another VA psychiatric examination
which should be performed in accordance
with the VA Physician's Guide for
Disability Evaluation Examinations and
should include all necessary tests and
studies.  Additionally, the examiner should
be allowed the opportunity to review the
veteran's claims file prior to the
examination.  The purpose of this
examination is to ascertain the nature and
severity of any current psychiatric
disorder.

2.  Following completion of the above
action, the RO should consider the
veteran's claims in light of all additional
evidence.  If the RO continues to deny any
claims, the veteran and his representative
should be furnished a supplemental
statement of the case and be afforded a
reasonable opportunity to respond.

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 unless otherwise
notified.

          U. R. POWELL
          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).