Citation Nr: 21073357 Decision Date: 12/08/21 Archive Date: 12/08/21 DOCKET NO. 16-19 494 DATE: December 8, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer, to include as associated with exposure to herbicide agents, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to prostate cancer, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from June 1979 to October 1992. These matters come to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2014 rating decision issued by the Department for Veteran Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In July 2020, the undersigned Veteran's Law Judge held a hearing and a transcript is part of the record. The claims were previously denied by the Board in December 2020. Thereafter, the Veteran appealed the Board's decision to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). In June 2021, after the parties stipulated to a joint motion for remand (JMR), CAVC vacated the Board's December 2020 decision and remanded the claims for additional development and re-adjudication consistent with the JMR. 1. Entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer, to include as associated with herbicide agents, is remanded. The Board first received this claim in September 2013. The Veteran alleges that, while he was stationed at Camp Stanton in Korea, he moved chemicals to Camp Carroll for storage purposes. More specifically, at his June 2020 Board hearing he testified that he was a logistics officer for his unit and part of his duties was to bury chemical drums which contained Agent Orange. The Veteran has provided internet articles which generally indicate that there are chemicals buried at former U.S. military bases in Korea. The articles include an article about Camp Stanton, where the Veteran was stationed, but it does not indicate herbicides were stored there. The articles also indicate soil contamination at these Korean military bases and an article about three Veterans that allege they were injured from burying drums containing pesticides, herbicides, and solvents, and have suffered resulting health problems. Most recently, the Veteran has submitted a GAO study about Agent Orange and the need for communication of information on testing and storage locations. While the RO previously attempted to gather enough evidence to send this claim to the JSSRC, the Board finds that an additional attempt should be made to request the JSSRC to verify exposure in Korea based on the submitted evidence. The Veteran and his representative have alleged that the Veteran was exposed to chemicals in the drums he reportedly buried while on active duty. Currently, there is no probative evidence indicating what type of chemicals the Veteran was exposed to. Attempts should be made to determine the type and extent of exposure the Veteran may have had. Without any evidence indicating what type of exposure there was scheduling a VA examination now would be speculative. 1. In remanding this case, the Board makes no credibility determination, expressed or implied, at this juncture. Neither the Veteran's credibility nor any lack thereof should be presumed in this remand. 2. Contact the Veteran and request that he provide any evidence he has regarding what type of chemicals he was exposed to during active duty including when he moved 55 gallon drums from one location to another while stationed in Korea. 3. A request must be sent to the JSRRC for verification of the Veteran's exposure to defoliants or herbicides, to include Agent Orange while he was stationed at Camp Stanton from April 1982 to April 1983 and was required to move large drums to Camp Carroll for storage purposes. The verification must address, if possible, the articles received in November 2014, July 2017 and October 2021. 4. Conduct any other development based on the outcome of the development set out above. G. A. WASIK Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board J. Wade 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.