Citation Nr: 21077542
Decision Date: 12/30/21	Archive Date: 12/30/21

DOCKET NO. 18-08 747
DATE: December 30, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for a heart disability, diagnosed as coronary artery disease, is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran has verified active duty service from June 1966 to May 1968 and from March 2003 to March 2004.

This matter is before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a January 2017 rating decision of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). 

In August 2021, the Veteran testified at a videoconference hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge; a transcript of the hearing is of record.

The Veteran maintains that his current heart disability, diagnosed as coronary artery disease, status post stent, is related to herbicide exposure while serving at Camp Page in Korea.  

Additionally, the Board finds that there is some evidence that the Veteran's heart disorder may have been incurred during a subsequent period of active duty service. 

Notably, the Veteran's DD Forms 214 currently of record show that the Veteran served on active duty service from September 1966 to June 1969 and from March 2003 to March 2004.  However, in a November 2003 Narrative Summary report, it was indicated that the Veteran had been previously deployed to Southwest Asia in "June 2002 for a 90 day tour to support Operation Enduring freedom."  The same report indicated that, in November 2002, he began to be bothered by "chest pains" and was subsequently evaluated as having single vessel coronary artery disease. 

On remand, the Board finds that clarification is need as to whether the Veteran was on active duty or active duty for training (ACDUTRA) during his deployment in June 2002.  Additionally, the Veteran testified that, prior to his diagnosis, he experienced some "little pains in the chest" during his deployment.  See Board Hearing Transcript at pg. 5.  Accordingly, the Veteran should also be afforded a VA medical examination and medical opinion as to whether his heart disorder first manifested and was incurred during a period of active duty service.  

The matters are REMANDED for the following actions:

1. Contact the necessary service departments or records repositories to confirm the Veteran's periods of active duty service and/or ACDUTRA.  Any negative responses should be included in the claims file. 

**Please note that the Veteran appears to have been deployed to SW Asia in June 2002 for a 90 day tour to support Operation Enduring freedom.

2. After the Veteran's dates of service are confirmed, schedule the Veteran for a VA heart examination and request that the examiner provide an opinion as to whether it is as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that the Veteran's heart disorder first manifested during active duty service is otherwise related to active service or any period of active duty for training. 

**Please note that the Veteran has indicated that he experienced chest pains prior to his diagnosis of ischemia in November 2002.  

A complete rationale should be included for all opinions expressed.

3. Then, readjudicate the claim on appeal.  

 

S. B. MAYS

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	R. Casadei, 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.