Citation Nr: 20006909 Decision Date: 01/28/20 Archive Date: 01/28/20 DOCKET NO. 19-25 733 DATE: January 28, 2020 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The appellant served in the Army National Guard from August 20, 1985 to December 5, 1985. The record does not contain a Form DD 214 for the appellant showing his dates of active service. It is unclear whether the appellant’s service from November 15, 1985 to December 5, 1985 is active duty or Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA). This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2017 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). 1. Entitlement to service connection for paranoid schizophrenia is remanded. The appellant contends he is entitled to service connection for paranoid schizophrenia. Medical records show the appellant has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. In a December 2017 Report of General Information, the appellant stated that during service he observed others in boot camp jump from balconies to run away to return home, which he found upsetting and disturbing. He also reported that drill sergeants selected certain people to pick on, beat up, take their money, and make up false charges to send them to the brig. The appellant was not afforded a VA examination in connection with his claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia. The Board finds that remand is required to afford the appellant the opportunity to attend a VA examination to determine if his diagnosed schizophrenia is related to his period of service. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain and associate with the claims file any outstanding service personnel files and verify the dates of any active duty service, ACTDUTRA, and Inactive Duty for Training (INACTDUTRA). Then, prepare a memorandum to the file with a finding as to whether the period from November 15, 1985 to December 5, 1985 is active duty or ACDUTRA. 2. Obtain any outstanding VA medical records and associate them with the claims file. 3. Undertake appropriate efforts to schedule the appellant for a VA examination with an appropriate specialist addressing the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia. Any and all indicated evaluations, studies, and tests deemed necessary by the examiner should be accomplished, and a rationale for any opinion expressed should be provided. The claims file must be made available to the examiner for review of the history in conjunction with the examination, and the examination report should reflect that such review was accomplished. For any psychiatric disorder identified, including schizophrenia, the examiner is directed to provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (i.e., 50 percent probability or greater) that (1) the psychiatric disability was incurred (i.e., had its onset) during the appellant’s period of service; (2) the psychiatric disability was aggravated by (increased in severity beyond the normal progression of the disease) during his period of service; and (3) the psychiatric disability is otherwise related to the appellant’s period of service. If any psychiatric disorder is deemed to be unrelated to service, the examiner should, if possible, identify the cause considered more likely and explain why that is so. In providing the requested opinion, the examiner must consider and address the appellant’s lay statements regarding the onset and progression of his psychiatric symptomatology and the appellant’s diagnosis of schizophrenia in January 1993. All opinions expressed must be accompanied by a complete rationale. If the examiner is unable to provide any required opinion, he or she should explain why. Patrick M. Johnson Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board N. Miller, Associate Counsel The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.