Citation Nr: 18147717
Decision Date: 11/06/18	Archive Date: 11/05/18

DOCKET NO. 15-17 703
DATE:	November 6, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Air Force from August 1995 to January 1999.  This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) from a September 2014 rating decision issued by a Regional Office (RO) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded.
A review of the Veteran’s service treatment records fails to uncover any evidence of psychological treatment during active duty service and the Veteran agreed in his January 2015 notice of disagreement that he did not receive mental health treatment during service.  However, he suggested that his personnel records from the Air Force document his erratic behavior, which he contends represented early manifestations of bipolar disorder.  As the claims file does not appear to include any substantial personnel records, a remand is necessary to obtain all military personnel documents that are potentially relevant to the Veteran’s claim.
The Veteran has also not yet been afforded a VA psychological examination to obtain medical evidence addressing the nature and etiology of any current acquired psychiatric disability.  In April 2018, the Veteran submitted a private psychiatric evaluation report in which an evaluating psychologist provided an opinion that the Veteran’s current psychological disabilities are due to service.  However, there are inconsistencies in the record regarding the onset of the Veteran’s psychiatric symptoms that indicate an additional medical examination is necessary.  Specifically, other VA treatment records from February 2014 suggest the Veteran’s gambling difficulties began during childhood and at a psychiatric evaluation in June of 2014, the Veteran reportedly stated that his history of mental health problems began during his adolescence with the divorce of his parents.  Given the competent evidence of a current psychiatric diagnosis and an indication that this diagnosis may be linked to service, the Veteran should be afforded a VA psychological examination upon remand.  See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006).
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Obtain the Veteran’s complete service personnel records.
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2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disability.  The examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, event, or disease, including the Veteran’s contention that his erratic behavior in service, including excessive gambling, drinking, and mismanagement of money, represented early manifestations of bipolar disorder or any other current acquired psychiatric disability.
 
Matthew Tenner
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	B. Whitelaw, Associate Counsel