Citation Nr: 21026520 Decision Date: 05/03/21 Archive Date: 05/03/21 DOCKET NO. 17-50 341 DATE: May 3, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a prostate disorder, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for allergic rhinitis is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from June 1964 to June 1967. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2016 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified at a Board hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) in February 2021. A transcript is of record. 1. Entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is remanded. 3. Entitlement to service connection for allergic rhinitis is remanded. Additional development is necessary with regard to the Veteran's claims. Although the Board sincerely regrets the delay, it is necessary to ensure that there is a complete record upon which to decide his claims so that he is afforded every possible consideration. As a preliminary matter, the Veteran identified pertinent medical treatment for his claimed disabilities at his February 2021 Board Hearing. In particular, the Veteran testified that he first received treatment for his claimed condition allergic rhinitis at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Fontana, California, beginning in the mid 1970's after he separated from service. These private medical treatment records do not appear in his claims file. On remand, these private medical treatment records must be obtained. The Veteran has described various stressors that occurred during active duty which he believes are related to his claimed condition of PTSD. In a May 2016 Memorandum, the RO found that there was insufficient information available in order to corroborate the Veteran's claimed stressors for service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's VA treatment records contain notations of anxiety which he claims has been present ever since service. On remand, the Veteran should be scheduled for an appropriate VA examination to determine whether any current psychiatric disorder is related to service. A veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service served between April 1, 1968 to August 31, 1971 in a unit that, as determined by the Department of Defense, operated in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in an area in which herbicides are known to have been applied during that period, is presumed to have been exposed to an herbicide agent during such service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6)(iv). Here, the Veteran asserts that his prostate cancer is due to herbicide exposure during his time in service beginning in June 1965 in North Korea when he made deliveries as part of his official duties around the DMZ in North Korea. See February 2021 Hearing Transcript. He was separated from service in June 1967. As the Veteran's service in Korea ended prior to April 1, 1968, he does not qualify for the presumption of herbicide exposure. However, his service treatment records contain several instances of treatment for urinary problems. Thus, on remand the Veteran should be scheduled for an appropriate VA examination to determine whether any current prostate disorder is related to service. Finally, the Veteran's VA treatment records show a current diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. He testified that he first experienced allergic symptoms while serving at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. See February 2021 Hearing Transcript. His service treatment records show that he was treated for an allergic reaction of unknown etiology at Fort Huachuca in August 1966. On remand, the Veteran should be scheduled for an appropriate VA examination to determine whether any current allergic rhinitis is related to service. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Make arrangements to obtain the Veteran's complete medical treatment records from Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, California, dated from the 1970's forward. 2. Make arrangements to obtain Veteran's VA treatment records, dated from June 2017 forward. 3. Thereafter, schedule the Veteran for an examination (or telehealth interview, review of the record, etc. if an in-person examination is not feasible) by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of his any diagnosed prostate disorder. The entire claims file and a copy of this REMAND must be made available to the examiner in conjunction with the examination. The examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not that any current prostate disorder had it onset during service or is related to any incident of service. The examiner's attention is called to the Veteran's service treatment records showing treatment for urinary issues, including in August 1966, October 1966 (urethritis), November 1966, and January 1967 (urethritis). A complete rationale should be provided for all opinions. 4. Schedule the Veteran for an examination (or telehealth interview, review of the record, etc. if an in-person examination is not feasible) by a VA psychologist or psychiatrist to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric condition. The entire claims file and a copy of this REMAND must be made available to the examiner in conjunction with the examination. The examiner should identify all current psychiatric disorders found to be present. For each psychiatric disorder identified, the examiner should provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or more) that is it is related to any incident of the Veteran's service, to include witnessing people getting hit by cars; seeing children begging; and delivering supplies near the DMZ in Korea where he could hear gunfire in the distance and felt that he was under the threat of sniper fire, and armed individuals jumped onto the back of his truck to steal supplies. A complete rationale should be provided for all opinions. 5. Schedule the Veteran for an examination (or telehealth interview, review of the record, etc. if an in-person examination is not feasible) by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of his allergic rhinitis. The entire claims file and a copy of this REMAND must be made available to the examiner in conjunction with the examination. The examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis had its onset during service or is related to any incident of service, to include environmental exposures at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The examiner's attention is called to the Veteran's service treatment record showing that he was treated for an allergic reaction of unknown etiology at Fort Huachuca in August 1966. A complete rationale should be provided for all opinions. P.M. DILORENZO Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board T. Mohammad 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.