A What is a FOIA request?

A Who can request documents under the FOIA?

A Who cannot request documents under the FOIA?

A What is the criteria for a valid FOIA request?

A How can FOIA requests be sent and received?

A What are FOIA request processing time limits?

A What are the processing fees for a FOIA request?

A What types of records are available?

A What documents are releasable or subject to be withheld?

A What are FOIA requester appeal rights?

A Other Methods to obtain information without citing FOIA

A Frequently requested records

 

 

A Download a FOIA Request Form (MS Word Document)

Please download, save and e-mail the completed form to usafe.foia@ramstein.af.mil.

  What is a FOIA request?

A A written request for Department of Defense (DoD) records that        reasonably describes the record(s) sought.

A Department of Defense (DoD) policy is to conduct its activities in an open manner and provide the public with a maximum amount of accurate and timely information concerning its activities, consistent always with the legitimate public and private interests of the American people.

A An Agency's records are the products of data compilation, such as all books, papers, maps, and photographs, machine readable materials, inclusive of those in electronic form or format, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by an agency of the United States Government under Federal law in connection with the transaction of public business and in the Department of Defense possession nd control at the time the FOIA request is made.

A A record must exist and be in the possession and control of the Department of Defense at the time of the request to be considered subject to DoD and AF guidance (DoD 5400.7//Air Force Supplement) and the FOIA. There is no obligation to create, compile, or obtain a record to satisfy a FOIA request.

  Who can request documents under the FOIA?

A Any person, (U.S. or foreign) organization, a business that either explicitly or implicitly invokes the FOIA.

A Air Force-affiliated requesters, to include military and civilian employees, should not use government equipment, supplies, stationery, postage, telephones, or official mail channels to make a FOIA requests.          

  Who cannot request documents under the FOIA?

A Federal agencies or fugitive from the law

  What is the criteria for a valid FOIA request?

Requesters must:

A Identify the record(s) sought

A Provide a thorough enough description of the desired records, to enable the government to locate the record with a reasonable amount of effort.

A Description of records sought should include specific details such as dates and locations. This information will assist in expeditiously locating the records sought.

A Indicate a willingness to pay fees associated with the processing of the request, or justify a waiver of fees.

A Provide a postal mailing address, even if the request is faxed or electronically sent. Submit FOIA request to the Air Force Base office responsible for the records sought. (To locate the Air Force proper office, visit http://www.foia.af.mil/contact1.shtml .)

A Provide your fee category (See Processing Fees)

  How can FOIA requests be sent and received?

A Postal service or other commercial delivery means addressed to:

USAFE/A6YI (FOIA)
Unit 3050, Box 125
APO AE 09094-0125

A Facsimile: (Fax) 011-49-6371-47-7481

A Electronic e-mail:  usafe.foia@ramstein.af.mil   

A For telephone assistance call commercial 011-49-6371-47-3166 or DSN 480-3166.

   What are FOIA request processing time limits?

A Normally a statutory 20 working day time limit applies, upon receipt of a valid or corrected FOIA request.

A DoD components with a significant number of pending requests that prevent a response determination from being made within 20 working days, may institute a multi-track processing system, based on the date of receipt and the amount of work and time involved in processing the request, i.e., a first-in, first-out concept.

   What are the processing fees for a FOIA request?

A Hourly search and review: Clerical: $20.00 Professional: $44.00

A Duplication fees are 15 cents per page  page, (No charge if total processing cost are $15.00 or less.)

Categories

A Commercial Requesters who seek information for a use or purpose that furthers their commercial, trade, or profit interest are considered commercial requesters. (Pay search, review and duplication.)

A Educational or non-commercial scientific institution or news media, institutions of education, including preschools, elementary or secondary schools and institutions of higher learning, qualify as educational institutions. The records must be sought in furtherance of scholarly research. (Pay duplication charges only, unless it is determined that fees are waived or reduced in the public interest. First 100 pages are free.)

A Non-commercial scientific institution operated solely for conducting scientific research. The records must be sought in furtherance of scientific research. (Pay duplication charges only, unless it is determined that fees are waived or reduced in the public interest. First 100 pages are free).

A News-Media or a representative of the news media -- a person actively gathering news for an entity organized and operated to publish or broadcast news to the public. (Pay duplication charges only, unless it is determined that fees are waived or reduced in the public interest. First 100 pages are free.)

A Other requesters who do not qualify in another category, normally making requests for agency records for their personal use. (First two hours of search, review, and first 100 pages free. Requesters in this category may also be eligible for a waiver or reduction of fees if disclosure of information is in the public interest.)

   What types of records are available?

Typical records include: Inspector General complaints, accident investigation board, family advocacy, personal contracts, courts martial, histories.

   What documents are releasable or subject to be withheld?

DoD's policy is to make records publicly available, unless the record qualifies for exemption under one or more of the nine exemptions related to the following:

(1) Records currently and properly classified
(2) Internal personnel rules and practices
(3) Records protected by another law i.e. 5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(3)
(4) Trade secrets and commercial or financial information that would cause competitive harm.
(5) Internal records that are deliberative in nature and are part of the decision-making process that contain opinions and recommendations.
(6) Personal privacy, i.e. personnel and medical files
(7) Investigatory records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes
(8) Records for the use of any agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions
(9) Records containing geological and geophysical information and data (including maps) concerning wells

   What are FOIA requester appeal rights?

Requesters have the right to appeal all denial decisions within 60 days after the date of the initial denial letter. They must send appeals to the Secretary of the Air Force through the office that initially denied the information.

  Other Methods to obtain information without citing FOIA

A Air Force Public Affairs accepts requests from news media organizations:

Secretary of the Air Force
Office of Public Affairs
1690 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1690
(703) 695-0640

A Mandatory Declassification Review: Executive Order 12958 allows you to request declassification of classified records by contacting:

11 CS/SCSR (MDR)
1000 Air Force Pentagon
Washington DC 20330-1000
(703) 696-7265

A Through a legal court action under the discovery process

A Many government offices create records with no release restrictions and may provide them, upon request, without a formal request citing FOIA. Visit the following Web sites:

 

Biographies

http://www.af.mil/bios

Speeches

http://www.af.mil/speech

Fact Sheets

http://www.af.mil/factsheets

 

U.S. Air Force FOIA Offices

http://www.foia.af.mil/contact1.shtml

 

AF Historical Research Agency

http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra

USAF History Support Office

http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil

DoD Resource Locator/Government Information Locator Service (GILS)

http://sites.defenselink.mil http://www.defenselink.mil/locator/fpr_index

 

Privacy Act Systems of Records Notices

http://www.defenselink.mil/privacy/notices

National Personnel Records Center

http://www.nara.gov/regional/stlouis

National Archives & Records Administration

http://www.nara.gov

 

A The Air Force FOIA policy and annual report, as well as a list of key FOIA offices, are available electronically at http://www.foia.af.mil .

 

A Electronic Reading Room is maintained by the 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, at http://www.ramstein.af.mil/FOIA. Currently, USAFE/CONS has contracts posted on the web that have been requested five or more times in the same quarter.

A HQ USAFE FOIA Web Site: http://www.usafe.af.mil/foia.htm .

 

  Frequently requested records

 

A We do not maintain home addresses of former members. Further, home addresses cannot be released under FOIA since release would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

 

A To access your military personnel and medical records, download SF 180 from: http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records.html and file it with the Director, National Personnel Records Center  

Military Personnel Records  

9700 Page Avenue

St. Louis, MO

63132-5100 .

A To access another's military personnel and medical records, consider the following: If the person is deceased, provide proof such as death certificate or obituary; if the person is alive, provide signed release authorization to obtain maximum amount of information; if no authorization, only limited information can be made available.

 

A 10 U.S.C. 130(b) prohibits the release of names and duty station addresses and e-mail addresses of individuals who are stationed overseas, routinely deployable (i.e., aboard ships/aircraft), or assigned to sensitive units. All other addresses are withheld under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6).

A Listed below are the addresses to USAFE’s main operating bases that have a FOIA office. They are responsible for numbered air forces, geographically separated units, tenant units, or wing activities on their installation.

 

Aviano AB & 16th Air Force, Italy 31CS/SCBR Unit 6115 Box 165 APO AE 09604 Incirlik AB, Turkey 39CS/SCBAR Unit 7075 Box 70 APO AE 09824-7570 Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal 65 CS/SCBR Unit 7785 APO AE 09720 Ramstein AB, Germany 786 CS/SCSIR Unit 3170 Box 40 APO AE 09094 RAF Lakenheath, England 48 CS/SCBR Unit 5180 Box 305 APO AE 09461 RAF Mildenhall & 3rd Air Force, England 100 CS/SCBE Unit 4955 Box 340 APO AE 09459-5340 Spangdahlem AB, Germany 52 CS/SCBAR Unit 3705 Box 125 APO AE 09126-5125

A Download a FOIA Request Form (MS Word Document)

Please download, save and e-mail the completed form to usafe.foia@ramstein.af.mil.

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