Citation Nr: 18139832 Decision Date: 10/01/18 Archive Date: 10/01/18 DOCKET NO. 16-20 409 DATE: October 1, 2018 REMANDED Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is remanded. Service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD) is remanded.   REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from February 1971 to August 1974. The case is on appeal from an August 2013 rating decision. 1. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran’s contends that his diabetes mellitus is related to his in-service exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange, during his service in Korea. The record reflects that the Veteran was stationed in Korea from March 1972 to April 1973. Service personnel records (SPRs) reflect that the Veteran was assigned to the 6th Battalion, 37th Artillery unit of the 2nd Infantry Division. The Veteran indicated in April 2016 that he was stationed at Camp Essayons, near Camp Stanley and his military occupational specialty (MOS) was as a medic. He stated he worked with different battalions while in service and estimates he was only a few miles away from the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ). He indicated that while he was near the DMZ, he typically performed field exercises and practiced military maneuvers. He further noted an incident where he provided medical care to a South Korean soldier who was injured when he fell from a truck, further exposing the Veteran to herbicides. The Board notes VA treatment records support that the Veteran has a history of diabetes mellitus, type II. Applicable criteria provide that diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents will be considered to have been incurred in service even though there is no evidence of such disease during the period of service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a). Diabetes mellitus, type II, is such a disease. 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e). VA’s Adjudication Procedures Manual includes a list of units or other military entities that the Department of Defense (DoD) has identified as operating in the Korean DMZ during the qualifying time period of April 1, 1968, to August 31, 1971, which includes the 6th Battalion, 37th Artillery unit of the 2nd Infantry Division. See VBA Manual M21-1, IV.ii.1.H.4.b. However, as the Veteran’s service in Korea began after August 31, 1971, a presumption of herbicide exposure based upon such service is not warranted. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6)(iii). Nevertheless, the M21-1 indicates that a request should be sent to the Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) for verification of exposure to herbicides when a veteran claims exposure in Korea and the service was not between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971, or in a unit or entity listed in IV.ii.1.H.4.b. See M21-1, IV.ii.1.H.4.c. The Board notes that the RO made an August 2013 formal finding of a lack of information required to corroborate herbicide exposure through the JSRRC. It indicated the Veteran did not respond to a July 2013 letter requesting the dates, locations, and nature of the alleged exposure. However, as noted above, the Veteran provided an April 2016 statement which details his service in Korea and alleged exposure. As his service dates are not within the timeframe for presuming herbicide exposure, a request should be sent to JSRRC for verification of exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea. Updated VA treatment records should also be obtained on remand. 2. Service connection for MDD. With respect to the Veteran’s claim of service connection for MDD, the representative’s April 2016 statement contended that the psychiatric claim should be remanded pursuant to VA’s duty to assist the Veteran. He asserted that the Veteran’s diabetes mellitus claim warrants service connected and thus, his potentially service-connected diabetes caused or aggravated his depressive disorder. Since the outcome of the diabetes claim being remanded has a bearing on the psychiatric claim, the psychiatric claim is considered intertwined with the other service connection claim and will also be remanded. See Harris v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 180, 183 (1991). The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain any outstanding VA treatment records from August 2015. 2. Send a request (or multiple requests) to JSRRC for verification of exposure to herbicides during the Veteran’s service in Korea from March 1972 to April 1973, to include at Camp Essayons, in accordance with VA Adjudication Procedure Manual, M21-1, IV.ii.1.H.4.c. RYAN T. KESSEL Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD B. Isaacs, Associate Counsel