Due to the current situation regarding COVID-19, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office will be teleworking until further notice and will continue to process your request to the best of their capability; however, we expect delays in response times. We appreciate your patience and understanding. We will notify you once the office is back to normal operations.
The Freedom of Information Act Program (DODM5400.07_AFMAN 33-302) 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.
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.
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
FOIA requests for Joint Base Charleston must be submitted in writing and include contact information, a specified/detailed description of the desired records and a statement on willingness to pay fees for search, review and reproduction. Submit requests via online, email or U.S. mail or hand carry to the following address:
628 CS/SCXK (FOIA) 103 N. Graves Ave., Bldg. 302 JB Charleston, SC 29404 Phone: (843) 963-3273/DSN 673-3273
To submit a request on line click here.
To submit a FOIA request form to the Joint Base Charleston Requester Service Center click here or email 628cs.foia@us.af.mil to have the FOIA request form emailed to you.
If dissatisfied with the service received from the Requester Service Center, you may contact the Air Force FOIA Public Liaison Officer, Ms. Anh Trinh, for assistance at usaf.pentagon.saf-cn.mbx.af-foia@mail.mil or (703) 614-8500. (Please do not send FOIA request to this office)
Air Force FOIA Web site DoD Freedom of Information Handbook
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.
A consolidated list of such records is available in the AF FOIA Library. https://foia.usaf.afpims.mil/Library/