Air Force Weather - Freedom of Information

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Freedom of Information Act

The Air Force has established a new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) website for submitting FOIA requests online directly to our Requester Service Centers (RSC) to enhance and enforce the Presidents FOIA policy of timely responses and a transparent government.

If you encounter difficulties accessing the website or obtaining membership, please contact the eFOIA customer service desk by e-mail or phone at 757-764-2265.

What is the FOIA?

The Freedom of Information Act Program (DODR 5400.7) allows the general public including foreign citizens, military and civilian personnel acting as private citizens, to request records electronically or in writing from the Federal Government. Some records are released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act, and may therefore reflect deletion of some information in accordance with the FOIA's nine statutory exemptions or two law enforcement record exclusions. A consolidated list of such records is on Defense Link and the U.S. Air Force FOIA site. Currently the law allows 20 working days to process a FOIA request upon receipt of the request in the FOIA office.

Who can submit a FOIA request?

Members of the public, including foreign citizens, military and civilian personnel acting as private citizens, organizations and businesses, and individual members of the Congress for themselves or constituents, may request records in writing. It is important to remember that the Freedom of Information Act applies only to federal agencies. It does not create a right of access to records held by Congress, the courts, state or local government agencies, or by private businesses or individuals. Each state has its own public access laws that should by consulted for access to state and local records.

What are the fees for processing a FOIA request?

Fees are assessed depending on which group the request falls into:

Category 1: Commercial. Requesters pay all search, review, and duplication.

Category 2: Educational or Noncommercial Scientific Institution or News Media. Requesters get the first 100 copies free and pay for additional copies.

Category 3: Others. Requesters get the first two hours of search and the first 100 copies free.

FOIA Contact Information

Contact Information:
55th CS/SCXKF
Offutt AFB NE 68113
Phone: CMCL (402) 294-9994, DSN 271-9994

If dissatisfied with the response received from the center, you may contact the FOIA Public Liaison at (703) 696-6487 or email af.foiapa@pentagon.af.mil.

Release of E-mail Addresses

Air Force policy is to deny requests for lists of e-mail addresses (both personal and organizational) using FOIA exemption (b)(2)(high). We also rely on FOIA exemption (b)(6) when denying lists of personal e-mail addresses. High (b)(2) protects internal information, the disclosure of which would risk circumvention of a statute or agency regulation. Because DoD e-mail systems are to be used only for official and authorized purposes, the addresses are considered primarily internal. The regulations at issue that could be circumvented include DoD and AF regulations that require us to limit use of e-mail to authorized purposes, and to protect the security of your computer and information systems. Exemption (b)(6) protects information that if released would permit a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. This does not prohibit an organization from including a single e-mail address on a Web page of in correspondence.

E-FOIA Reading Room

E-FOIA READING ROOM
This page is made available under the provisions of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 1996 which provides that records normally available in a physical FOIA reading room also be made available electronically to the general public. Items required to be made available in our reading room are commonly requested fully releasable records.

AIR FORCE E-FOIA READING ROOM
The Air Force Electroinic FOIA Reading Room is available at http://www.foia.af.mil/reading.

OFFUTT AFB E-FOIA READING ROOM
The Offutt Air Force Base FOIA Reading Room is available at http://www.offutt.af.mil/library/foia.asp.

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