Citation Nr: 18150726 Decision Date: 11/15/18 Archive Date: 11/15/18 DOCKET NO. 16-35 280 DATE: November 15, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served in the U.S. Air Force from December 1990 to June 2003, during which he was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor, signifying that his unit was in combat. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2016 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In September 2015 and October 2015 VA treatment record, the Veteran reported traumatic events in his history, such as being shot at during combat; the Veteran was diagnosed with PTSD in October 2015, however, by a VA social worker. VA ordered a psychiatric examination other than PTSD of the Veteran in July 2016, although that examiner indicated that such an examination of a for a trauma or stressor-related disorder was beyond the scope of the examination ordered at that time. Thus, it does not appear that the Veteran was assessed for PTSD at that time. In light of the Veteran’s award of a “V” device for Valor in this case and his statements related to combat stressors in service, the Board finds that a remand is necessary in order to obtain a VA examination that assesses whether the Veteran has PTSD or any other trauma- or stressor-related disorder as a result of his service. See Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303, 311 (2007); Kowalski v. Nicholson, 19 Vet. App. 171, 179 (2005) (a VA examination must be based on an accurate factual premise). On remand, the Board also finds that any outstanding VA treatment records should also be obtained. See 38 U.S.C. § 5103A(b), (c); 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(b); see also Sullivan v. McDonald, 815 F.3d 786 (Fed. Cir. 2016); Bell v. Derwinski, 2 Vet. App. 611 (1992). Accordingly, the case is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain any and all VA treatment records not already associated with the claims file from the Louisville VA Medical Center, or any other VA medical facility that may have treated the Veteran and associate those documents with the claims file. 2. Ensure that the Veteran is scheduled for a VA examination with an appropriate examiner in order to determine whether any current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to military service. The claims file must be made available to and be reviewed by the examiner in conjunction with the examination. Following review of the claims file and examination of the Veteran, the examiner should identify all DSM-V psychiatric disorders currently suffered by the Veteran other than major depressive disorder, to include PTSD. If PTSD is diagnosed, the examiner should specify the incident or stressor with which that diagnosis is being made and whether such stressor occurred during military service. The examiner should specifically address the notation of the Veteran’s award of an Outstanding Unit Award with Valor, which signifies that the Veteran’s unit was engaged in combat with the enemy during military service. The examiner should address whether any PTSD/stressor or trauma-related disorder is related to his noted combat service in this case. For any other psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and major depressive disorder found, the examiner should provide an opinion regarding whether each disorder more likely, less likely, or at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) began in or is otherwise related to military service, to include any fear of hostile military activity and/or his noted combat service. In addressing the above opinions, the examiner should consider any of the Veteran’s lay statements of record regarding onset of symptoms and any continuity of symptomatology since onset and/or since discharge from service. Finally, the examiner should also consider any other pertinent evidence of record, as appropriate. All findings should be reported in detail and all opinions must be accompanied by a clear rationale. MARTIN B. PETERS Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD Dawn A. Leung, Associate Counsel