UNITED STATES COURT OF VETERANS APPEALS No. 97-551 Joseph M. Ruder, Appellant, v. Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Appellee. Before FARLEY, Judge. MEMORANDUM DECISION Note: Pursuant to U.S. Vet. App. R. 28(i), this action may not be cited as precedent. FARLEY, Judge: This is an appeal from a February 19, 1997, decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA or Board) which denied entitlemen