Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests

To submit a FOIA request, certain information is required. We need your:

  • Name,
  • Postal Mailing Address, and
  • Country, if not in the United States.

You may also provide your

  • Phone number if in the United States,
  • Organization,
  • Electronic Mail address, and
  • FAX number.

In the opening paragraph of your request, state: "This is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request," or words to that effect.

Describe to the best of your ability the record or records you are requesting, including the date of the record. If the date is unknown, narrow the request as much as possible--month and year, or year.

Avoid "fishing" for records. Be as specific as possible. If the records are:

  • File-related: include such information as type of record (memorandum, letter, etc.), title, index citation, subject area, date of record and originator.
  • Event-related: include the circumstances that resulted in the record being created or the date and circumstances surrounding the event the record covers.

If applicable, include any source of references such as, "Reference, an article in the magazine "World of Missiles", December 2005, page 36."

Requesters must state a willingness to pay assessable charges, according to your category. For example:

  • I agree to pay all fees associated with this request applicable to my fee category up to $250.  I understand I will be advised if fees may exceed to $250.00 before further processing takes place.

    OR
  • I am willing to pay fees up to the amount of $______. If estimated fees will exceed that amount, please advise me before further processing my request. OR

(Complete only if requesting a fee waiver.) I request you waive all fees associated with this request. I understand a waiver will be based on whether the information is "in the public interest" because it is likely to contribute significantly to the public understanding of operations or activities of the U.S. Government. I also understand I must have the capability and intention to disseminate the information to the public. In this respect, I provide the following information:

My qualifications are:

  • The nature of my research or media affiliation:
  • How I will use the requested information:
  • How I will disseminate the information to the public:
  • A record of my past dissemination of information to the public, or reports of my research.

To aid in determining my fee assessment status, I offer this information (include only that information relevant to your status):

  • I am an individual seeking information for personal, not commercial, use.
    OR
  • I am a representative of the news media affiliated with _______________ and am requesting this information as part of a news gathering endeavor and it will not be used for commercial use.
    OR
  • I am affiliated with an educational or non-commercial scientific institution. This request is made for educational or scientific non-commercial purposes.
    OR
  • I am affiliated with a commercial or private corporation. I seek this information for use in a commercial endeavor.

Requester categories and fee assessments are defined in Department of Defense Regulation 5400.7-R, (Freedom of Information Act Program, Chapter 6). http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/dfoipo/.

Essentially, these fees apply:
Requester Category Search fees Review fees Duplication costs **
Commercial Requester Pays all fees Pays all fees Pays all; 15 cents per page.
Educational, Media, Non-Commercial Scientific Institute Fees are waived Fees waived 100 pages free; 15 cents per page in excess of 100 pages
“Other” Requesters (The majority of requesters fall into the “Other” category.) 2 hours search time waived Fees waived 100 pages free; 15 cents per page in excess of 100 pages

**Duplication costs apply to normal paper copies of requested documents.  Special fees apply to specific type documents such as photographs, maps, blueprints, microfilm, etc.

Search fees, and review fees in case of Commercial Requesters, are based on the hourly fees explained in DoD 5400.7-R, adjusted periodically. Currently, fees range from $20.00 to $75.00 per hour.  Computer (other than Personal Computers) search time is based on hourly cost of the computer being used.

Costs for special services.  USSTRATCOM may assess fees for special services such as “Certifying that records are true copies,” or sending records by special methods such as express mail, etc.

U.S. Postal Mailing Address:
USSTRATCOM/J011 (FOIA)
901 SAC BLVD STE 1A6
Offutt AFB NE 68113

Telephone: (402) 294-4100
FAX: (402) 232-1764
Electronic Mail: foia@stratcom.mil