Citation Nr: 21068581 Decision Date: 11/10/21 Archive Date: 11/10/21 DOCKET NO. 12-30 120 DATE: November 10, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for bipolar disorder is remanded. Service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is remanded. A rating higher than 10 percent prior to January 26, 2021, and higher than 20 percent thereafter for residuals of a right knee injury is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from April 1981 to August 1984. Service Connection for Bipolar Disorder Service Connection for PTSD The Board regrets continued delay. However, prior remand instructions were not completed and remand is again necessary to determine the Veteran's potential service in Grenada. Specifically, the Veteran has stated that Leave and Earning Statements (LES) he submitted confirm his service in Grenada. See May 2019 Statement in Support of Claim. The LES submitted by the Veteran do show he received separation pay at the end of 1983. However, his military personnel record does not show service in Grenada and prior remand instructions to obtain the Veteran's unit records continue to be missing from the record. Simply asking for the Veteran's military personnel record will not suffice as his full list of unit service is not contained in those records. The record does show that the Veteran was assigned to the 119th Transportation Company as of July 16, 1981. His DD-214 shows he detached from the 119th Transportation Company. However, there is nothing in the record which establishes that the 119th Transportation Company was involved in deployment to Grenada in 1983. Such records must be obtained. The Board notes that a 2019 VA examination diagnosed the Veteran with PTSD as a result of his service in Grenada and also stated that his PTSD was aggravated by his service connected conditions. However, as his PTSD diagnosis was predicated on his service in Grenada, which has yet to be confirmed, service connection for his condition cannot be granted at this time. Higher Rating for Residuals Right Knee Injury The Veteran seeks a higher rating for his right knee injury residuals. A September 2021 rating decision granted a separate rating for the Veteran's patellofemoral pain syndrome and also increased the Veteran's right knee residual rating to 20 percent as of a January 2021 VA examination. However, the Board's prior remand mandated that diagnostic testing be conducted to determine if the Veteran sustained a meniscal injury to his right knee. The record does not show that the directed testing was conducted. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. The RO must attempt to verify whether the Veteran served in Grenada by contacting the NPRC, the National Archives, or any other appropriate facility or any other organization that would have possession of pertinent records, including the records for the 119th Transportation Company during the period of time in which the Veteran was attached to that unit (July 1981 to August 1984). The RO must also attempt to obtain the Veteran's complete record of assignments for his entire service from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), or other pertinent source, beyond attempting to obtain his military personnel records. All attempts to secure this evidence must be documented in the claims file, and if, after making reasonable efforts to obtain named records, they are not able to be secured, provide the required notice and opportunity to respond to the Veteran and his representative. 2. Schedule an examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability. The claims file and a copy of this remand must be provided to the examiner and he or she must indicate review of these items in the examination report. Any/all testing necessary to determine whether the Veteran has a meniscal condition of the right knee must be conducted in conjunction with the examination. JOHN Z. JONES Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Parrish, 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.