Citation Nr: 18157677
Decision Date: 12/13/18	Archive Date: 12/13/18

DOCKET NO. 13-12 461
DATE:	December 13, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), to include as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from August 1992 to March 1999.
In January 2016, the Veteran testified during a videoconference hearing chaired by the undersigned.  A transcript of this hearing is of record.
In April 2017, the Board issued a decision which denied service connection for OSA.  The Veteran appealed.  In May 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC/Court) issued an order granting a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR) as discussed below.
1. Entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder, to include obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded.
According to the JMR, in July 2016, the Veteran submitted evidentiary documents to VA.  At the time of the April 2017 Board decision, the documents had not been incorporated into the claims file.  VA was initially unable to locate the documents.  However, while the Veteran’s appeal was pending at the CAVC, the documents were located and incorporated into the claims file.  Because the submitted documents were not available to the Board for its April 2017 decision, and the record was therefore incomplete. The parties agreed that a remand is appropriate for VA to make additional efforts to obtain all outstanding service department records. 
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
Obtain the Veteran’s complete service department records.  If necessary, a request should be made to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).  Document all requests for information as well as all responses in the claims file.
 
MICHAEL A. HERMAN
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	M.E. Lee, Associate Counsel