Citation Nr: 18144258
Decision Date: 10/25/18	Archive Date: 10/24/18

DOCKET NO. 16-32 815
DATE:	October 25, 2018
ORDER
Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance abuse, is remanded.
REMAND
The Veteran had active service from October 1979 to October 1982.
This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal of an April 2016 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Pursuant to Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1 (2009), the Board has recharacterized the Veteran’s claims to include any psychiatric disorder. As emphasized in Clemons, though a Veteran may only seek service connection for PTSD, the Veteran’s claim “cannot be limited only to that diagnosis, but must rather be considered a claim for any mental disability that may be reasonably encompassed.”
The Board has reviewed the evidence presently in the record and observes that there are VA outpatient treatment records indicating that the Veteran may have a mental health diagnosis. For instance, in October 2015, he reported that his depression was well-controlled by medication. In his July 2016 Substantive Appeal, he reported the stressor of seeing two servicemen get killed by helicopter blades in 1981. A VA examination is necessary in this instance to clarify whether the Veteran has any psychiatric diagnoses which are etiologically related to service, including the reported stressful incident.
Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action:
Afford the Veteran a VA mental health examination, with a psychiatrist or psychologist who has reviewed the claims file, to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder. The examiner is requested to review the record and offer an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (i.e., probability of approximately 50 percent) that any diagnosed psychiatric disorder had its onset in service or is related to the Veteran’s military service. A complete rationale should be given for all opinions and conclusions expressed. 
 
A. C. MACKENZIE
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	B. Banks, Associate Counsel