Freedom of Information act

The Air Force has established a Freedom of Information Act Website for submitting request online to our Requester Service Centers. Once there, we recommend you review all the links listed on the left side as they have been designed to provide information and guidance.

What is FOIA?

Enacted on July 4, 1966, and taking effect one year later, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions of them) are protected from public disclosure by one of nine exemptions or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. A FOIA request can be made for any agency record. Before sending a request to a federal agency, you should determine which agency is likely to have the records you are seeking. Each agency’s website will contain information about the type of records that agency maintains.

The FOIA is a law that gives you the right to access information from the federal government. It is often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government. Under the FOIA, agencies must disclose any information that is requested – unless that information is protected from public disclosure. The FOIA also requires that agencies automatically disclose certain information, including frequently requested records. As Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court have all recognized, the FOIA is a vital part of our democracy.


Who oversees the FOIA?
  

It is the Executive Branch, led by the President, that is responsible for the administration of the FOIA across the government. The Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy oversees agency compliance with these directives and encourages all agencies to fully comply with both the letter and the spirit of the FOIA.


How to make a request:
  

To get information under the FOIA, typically you must make a “FOIA request.” This is a written request in which you describe the information you want, and the format you want it in, in as much detail as possible. You should be aware that the FOIA does not require agencies to do research for you, analyze data, answer written questions, or create records in response to your request. Finally, you should know that the FOIA requires that federal agencies release certain information automatically, without the need for you to make a request. So, before you send in that FOIA request, it’s a good idea to look at an agency’s website first to see what’s already available.

Where to send request:

For fastest response times, the Air Force has decentralized its FOIA program. If you want to submit a FOIA inquiry online click here. No single office handles all FOIA requests. If you prefer not to submit on line you can mail/fax your request to the particular base or activity that has the records you want. If you don't know which Air Force activity has the records you want, mail/fax your request to:

HAF/IMII
1000 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1000

Fax (703) 693-2746 

If dissatisfied with the response received from the FOIA Requester Service Center, you may contact the Air Force FOIA Public Liaison Office, Ms. Anh Trinh, at usaf.pentagon.saf-cio-a6.mbx.af-foia@mail.mil, (703) 614-8500.

 

Mandatory Declassification Review: Executive Order 12958 allows you to request declassification of classified records. If you are only seeking a copy of a record or records that are currently classified, and would like the record reviewed for appropriate declassification and release, you should file a Mandatory Declassification Review request. Mandatory Declassification Review is a provision of Presidential Executive Order 13526 that allows members of the public to request a mandatory declassification review of a classified document in order to obtain a releasable version of the document. The desired document requested must be specified in sufficient detail that it can be readily located. The record in question may not be the subject of litigation. The mandatory declassification review process can be a very timely and in-depth, due to the classification of materials being reviewed by internal and outside agencies.  MDR decisions can be administratively appealed to the Headquarters Air Force/AAII (Mandatory Declassification Review) or Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP).

Requests for review and release of classified records under the MDR process can be made to:

 

Headquarters Air Force/AAII (Mandatory Declassification Review)

1000 Air Force Pentagon

Washington, DC 20330-1000

Email:  usaf.pentagon.saf-aa.mbx.mdr-workflow@mail.mil

Telephone: (703) 695-2226

 

Note, we have noticed many FOIA links are broken due to a recent migration to the new website platforms.  Please check your link to ensure it is functional and if not, contact our office with the corrected links so we can update the AF FOIA website. 

 

If you call out the AF FOIA regulation, make sure to use DoD5400.7-R_AFMAN33-302 as your reference.

 

Any questions please contact our office, USAF Pentagon SAF-CIO A6 Mailbox AF

FOIA usaf.pentagon.saf-cio-a6.mbx.af-foia@mail.mil.


FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.foia.gov/faq.html

 

Dobbins office

There is no special form to complete. You may mail it, hand carry it, fax it, or send it electronically. For information on submitting a FOIA request, or the status of one previously submitted, for the 94th Airlift Wing, mail, call or fax to the office listed below.

94th Airlift Wing FOIA Office
1392 Second Street
Dobbins ARB, GA 30069
(678) 655-4029 Fax 4480
E-mail the Dobbins FOIA Office

For more information, contact the listings below.

Air Force Reserve Command
Freedom of Information Act/
Privacy Act Office
HQ AFRC/A6OK (FOIA/PA)
155 Richard Ray Blvd
Robins AFB GA 31098-1635
(478) 327-1550 Fax: 0473

You may also contact the FOIA Public Liaison at:

SAF/XCISI
(703) 588-6102, DSN 425
Fax: (703) 588-7566
af.foia@pentagon.af.mil

For more info on FOIA: www.foia.af.mil.