Citation Nr: 21006491 Decision Date: 02/04/21 Archive Date: 02/04/21 DOCKET NO. 14-41 333A DATE: February 4, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as due to herbicide agent exposure, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for right upper extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for right lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for left lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND 1. Entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as due to herbicide agent exposure, is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. 3. Entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded. The Veteran had active service from April 1973 to April 1977. He had additional duty with the Air Force Reserve. The Veteran contends that, during his period of reserve service he was stationed with the 911th TAG unit at the Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, part of the Pittsburgh International Airport. Service personnel records indicate that the Veteran’s Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) was that of an aircraft armament systems specialist and that he was assigned to the unit identified by the Veteran following separation from active duty. The Veteran contends that, while working on C-123 aircraft during reserve duty in Pittsburgh, he was exposed to herbicide agents that caused diabetes mellitus. The Veteran further contends that diabetes caused peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction. Air Force Reservists can be presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents if they had regular and repeated duties flying on or maintaining former Operation Ranch Hand (ORH) C-123 aircraft from 1969 through 1986. The Department of Defense recognizes that reservists who worked on those aircraft at the Pittsburgh International Airport could have been exposed to herbicide agents. Although the record indicates that the Veteran was assigned to a unit based at that airport during the required timeframe, the record does not contain any documents listing the Veteran's dates of any Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) or Inactive Duty for Training (INACDUTRA) during the Veteran's reserve service. In April 2019, the Board remanded the Veteran's claims, in part, to verify the Veteran's dates of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The record contains no indication that the Agency of Original Jurisdiction attempted to verify the Veteran’s reserve service, as requested in the April 2019 remand. A remand is required to verify the Veteran's dates of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: Obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel records, to include all documents pertaining to service in the United States Air Force Reserve. Verify all ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA dates for any service in the Air Force Reserve. If necessary, a request should be made to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) for pay records. Document all requests for information as well as all responses in the claims file. Harvey P. Roberts Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board T.M. Gillett 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.