Citation Nr: 18158038 Decision Date: 12/14/18 Archive Date: 12/14/18 DOCKET NO. 16-58 358A DATE: December 14, 2018 REMANDED Issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from August 1985 to August 1988. The Veteran also served in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, with active duty for training (ACDUTRA) from June 1996 to August 1996. This appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) arose from an October 2013 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). See October 2014 Notice of Disagreement (NOD); September 2016 Statement of the Case (SOC); December 2016 Substantive Appeal (VA Form 9). The Board notes that the Regional Office (RO) considered whether there was new and material evidence to reopen the December 2009 rating decision, but the Board finds that evidence shows the December 2009 rating decision is not considered final. See October 2013 rating decision; September 2016 SOC. Any time after VA issues a decision on a claim, VA will reconsider the claim if VA receives or associates relevant official service department records that existed and had not been associated with the claims file when VA first decided the claim. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(c). The December 2009 rating decision indicates that only service personnel records through August 9, 1988, were available for review. See December 2009 rating decision. Additional service personnel records have been received since the December 2009 rating decision, including a 1996 Service School Academic Evaluation Report showing that the Veteran attended a specialized skills course for Clinical Pastoral Education from June 1996 to August 1996. Thus, relevant official service department records that existed, but not associated with the record at the time of the December 2009 rating decision, has now been received. The merits of the Veteran’s September 2009 claim, accordingly, requires reconsideration. Issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD. More information is needed to allow the Board to make a fully-informed decision. While the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, no examiner has opined on whether the diagnosis is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran’s assertion that PTSD is due to incidents during his training as a chaplain intern from 1996 to 1998, including serving as a witness when life support was removed from patients and holding hands with patients while they died. See November 2009 VA Form 21-0781; February 2013 VA Form 21-0781; March 2013 VA Form 21-0781; February 2018 VA Form 646. In resolving any reasonable doubt in the Veteran’s favor, the Board finds that the Veteran’s Clinical Pastoral Education course from June 3, 1996 to August 11, 1996, is ACDUTRA. Full time duty in the Armed Forces performed by the Reserves for training purposes is considered ACDUTRA. 38 U.S.C. § 101(22); 38 C.F.R. § 3.6(c). The evidence shows that the Veteran separated from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve in May 1995, because he was appointed as a Reserve commissioned officer with a Specialty Skill Identifier as a chaplain. See May 1995 NGB Form 22; May 1995 Department of the Army Memorandum. From June 3, 1996, to August 11, 1996, the Veteran was enrolled in a resident Clinical Pastoral Education course, in which he cared for hospitalized veterans and demostrated pastoral skills during death and dying situations. See August 1996 Service School Academic Evalaution Report. The Board finds that this evidence supports the Veteran was in a full-time course for training purposes from June 3, 1996 to August 11, 1996, which qualifies as ACDUTRA. The Board also finds that the 1996 Service School Academic Evaluation Report corroborates the Veteran’s asserted in service stressors related to his duties as a chaplain intern. See August 1996 Service School Academic Evalaution Report; November 2009 VA Form 21-0781; February 2013 VA Form 21-0781; March 2013 VA Form 21-0781; February 2018 VA Form 646. The Board, therefore, finds that a VA examiner’s opinion is necessary on whether there is a medical link between the Veteran’s current PTSD and asserted in service stressors. See McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Schedule the Veteran for a psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s PTSD. The examiner must explain how the diagnostic criteria are met and opine whether it is at least as likely as not related to a verified in-service stressor, in this case the incidents during the Veteran’s training as a chaplain intern. 2. If the Veteran is diagnosed with a personality disorder and PTSD - the examiner must opine whether the PTSD was at least as likely as not superimposed on a personality disorder during active service and resulted in additional disability. 3. If any other acquired psychiatric disorders are diagnosed, the examiner must opine whether each diagnosed disorder is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, event, or disease, to include the incidents during the Veteran’s training as a chaplain intern. 4. After the above development has been completed, review the record and ensure that all development sought in this remand has been completed. Arrange for any further development indicated by the results of the development requested above and re-adjudicate the claims. DEBORAH W. SINGLETON Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD M. Lin, Associate Counsel