Foia Request

Step 1:  Preparing Your Request

1. Your request should state:  "This is a Freedom of Information Act Request."

2. Describe the specific record(s) you are seeking with enough detail so that a knowledgeable agency official can locate the record(s) with a reasonable amount of effort.  Details should include descriptive information, time frame to be searched, full names and any other information that may assist in identifying the subject of the request.  CNIC IS NOT the appropriate agency to submit FOIA requests for records such as military justice/admin board records, military personnel service/disciplinary records, medical treatment records, records of Navy weapons or weapons systems, or records of Navy supply systems. 

3. Because most Navy records are not retained permanently, the more information provided, the better opportunity there is to determine if the records still exist and where.  The Freedom of Information Act clearly states that records must exist at the time of the request.  Also, agencies are not required to create a record(s) to comply with your request.

4. The Freedom of Information Act does not require agencies to answer questions, venture opinions, or conduct independent inquiries to satisfy queries from the public.  Please ensure your request asks for records, not answers to questions.

5. Freedom of Information Act authorizes agencies to estimate and collect fees associated with the search for, review and duplication of federal records.  State your willingness to pay all fees or those fees up to a specified amount, and if applicable, provide supporting information or documentation to justify a fee waiver.

6. Be sure to include your name, complete mailing address and telephone number.

Step 2: Submitting Your Request

For Commander, Navy Installations Command you have three options for FOIA submissions:

• Electronic Submission:  Per DONCIO Directive of 12 December 2013, all FOIA requests for documents submitted to the US Navy must be processed through the FOIA-Online tracking and management web-based tool.  Please go to FOIA Online https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/home and submit your FOIA request for documents.  Once you have submitted the appropriate request in FOIA Online, you will be contacted if any additional information is needed to process your request.

   
FAX: (202) 433-3396

Step 3:  Processing Your Request

Upon receipt of your request you will receive an acknowledgement letter (via mail, email, fax, etc.) within 3 business days providing you with the date your request was received, a case tracking number and identifying a point of contact and telephone number to address any questions you have.

Activities are required to process your request within 20 working days (does not include Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays); however, due to the complexity of certain requests, on occasion we may not be able to respond within that period. 

To ensure fair and equitable treatment, Freedom of Information Act requests are placed in a multi-track "first-in, first-out," queue. This command operates a three-track system:  one for simple requests, one for complex requests and one for expedited requests.  By narrowly focusing your request, you can assist us to more quickly and thoroughly process your request.

Some records may be withheld from public disclosure and need not be made available.  Categories that are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act are:

• Classified information
• Internal rules and practices  
• Information denied by other specific withholding statutes
• Trade secrets and commercial or financial information given in confidence
• Inter- and Intra-Agency communication, primarily deliberative in nature
• Personal information protected by the Privacy Act
• Investigative information compiled for law enforcement
• Reports on financial institutions
• Geological and geophysical information and data (including maps) concerning well

FOIA requesters who have any questions concerning the processing of their requests with CNIC should contact the FOIA Coordinator at (202) 433-2923/4831, Fax at (202) 433-3396.  If you are not satisfied with the response from this center, you may contact the FOIA Public Liaison at (202) 685-6545.

Step 4:  Appeals

You may appeal the denial of information. Your letter of appeal must be postmarked within 60 calendar days of the date of the denial letter.  At a minimum, an appeal letter should state the following information:

1. Why the denial may be in error, and
2. Reason(s) why your appeal should be granted.

You should include a copy of your original request and a copy of the response letter denying your request.  It is recommended you clearly mark your letter and the envelope "Freedom of Information Act Appeal."

Appellate authorities for the Department of the Navy are the office of General Counsel and the Office of the Judge Advocate General.

For Freedom of Information Act matters pertaining to business and commercial law, civilian personnel issues, and environmental matters, please submit your appeal to: 

General Counsel of the Navy
Department of the Navy
ATTN: FOIA APPEALS
1000 Navy Pentagon, Room 5A532
Washington, DC  20350-1000

Fax Number: (703) 604-6990

For Freedom of Information Act matters pertaining to military justice, military law, and all other matters except those falling under the General Counsel, please submit your appeal to:

Office of the Judge Advocate General
Department of the Navy
ATTN: FOIA APPEALS
1332 Patterson Ave SE Suite 3000
Washington Navy Yard DC 20374-5066

Fax Number: (202) 685-5472

Processing Request

Requesters should submit, along with their written request, a fee payment declaration appropriate for the categories listed below, if fees are expected to exceed the minimum fee threshold of $15.

• A representative of the media affiliated with (give name of media - television station, newspaper, magazine, etc.) and this request is made as a part of news -gathering and not for commercial use. 
  
  Sample:  I am willing to pay reasonable standard charges for document duplication which exceeds the first 100 pages.
   
• Affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution.  This request is made for a scholarly or scientific purpose and the records sought are not for commercial use. 
  
  Sample:  I am willing to pay reasonable standard charges for document duplication which exceeds the first 100 pages.
   
• Affiliated with a private business and seeking information for use in the company's business. 
  
  Sample:  I am willing to pay all reasonable search, review and duplication costs associated with processing this request.
   
• An individual seeking information for personal use and not for commercial use.
  
  Sample:  I am willing to pay all fees associated with processing this request up to $ (state amount) of the amount which exceeds 2 hours of search effort and duplication of 100 pages.  If you estimate that the total processing fees will exceed this amount, please inform me prior to initiating a search for responsive records.
   
• Waiver of Fees.  (Optional)
  
  Sample:  I request a waiver of fees for this request because disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest, is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the Department of the Navy, and is not primarily in my commercial interest.
• FOIA Exemptions
  
  The Freedom of Information Act generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, of access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions therof) are protected from disclosure by one of nine exemptions, or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.
  
  Exemption (b)(1) protects from disclosure national security information concerning the national defense or foreign policy, provided that it has been properly classified in accordance with Executive Order 12958.
  
  Exemption (b)(2) exempts from mandatory disclosure records "related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency."
  
  Exemption (b)(3) covers information "specifically exempted from disclosure by statute."
  
  Exemption (b)(4) protects "trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person that is privileged or confidential."
  
  Exemption (b)(5) protects "inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party . in litigation with the agency."
  
  Exemption (b)(6) permits the government to withhold all information about individuals in "personnel and medical files and similar files" when the disclosure of such information "would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy."
  
  Exemption (b)(7)(A) authorized the withholding of "records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that production of such law enforcement records or information could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings."
  
  Exemption (b)(7)(B) protects "records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes (the disclosure of which) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trail or an impartial adjudication."
  
  Exemption (b)(7)(C) provides protection for personal information in law enforcement records the disclosure of which "could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy."
  
  Exemption (b)(7)(D) provides protection for "records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes which could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source and information furnished by a confidential source."
  
  Exemption (b)(7)(E) provides protection to all law enforcement information which "would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigation or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcements investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law."
  
  Exemption (b)(7)(F) permits the withholding of information necessary to protect the physical safety of "any individual" when disclosure of information about his/her "could reasonably be expected to endanger his/her life or physical safety."
  
  Exemption (b)(8) protects matter that are "contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions."
  
  Exemption (b)(9) protects "geological and geophysical information on data, including maps, concerning wells."
  
  The (c)(1) exclusion authorizes federal law enforcement agencies , under specified circumstances, to shield the very existence of records of ongoing investigations or proceedings by excluding them entirely from the FOIA's reach.
  
  The (c)(2) exclusion provides that "whenever informant records maintained by a criminal law enforcement agency under an informant's name or personal identifier are requested by a third party, the agency may treat the records as not subject to the requirements of the FOIA unless the informant's status
  has been officially confirmed."
  
  The (c)(3) exclusion pertains only to certain law enforcement records that are maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Reading Room

The CNIC Electronic Reading Room is the single site for all CNIC Reading Room records. The 1996 amendments to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) mandate publicly accessible "electronic reading rooms" with agency FOIA response materials and other information routinely available to the public.

• Navy IG Case 201600681 IR 1-26-17
• Engineering Survey of U.S. Navy Petroleum Facilities at Pearl Harbor
• IG Report 201601079 
• Boat Fire – 25 August 2018

Navy's FOIA Electronic Reading Room:
https://foia.navy.mil/foia/webbas02.nsf/(vwwebpage)/home.htm?opendocument

Names and Duty Stations Addresses Including E-Mail - 10 U.S.C. Section 130(b) prohibits the release of names and duty station addresses and e-mail addresses of individuals who are stationed overseas, routinely deployable, or assigned to sensitive unites. All other addresses are withheld under 5 U.S.C. Section 552(b)(6). 

FOIA Links

For additional Freedom of Information Act information, please visit the following web sites:

Department of Justice Freedom of Information Homepage

United States Navy Freedom of Information Act Homepage

SECNAVINST 5211.5F, Department of the Navy Privacy Act (PA) Program

SECNAVINST 5720.42G, Department of the Navy Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Program

Department of Navy FOIA Handbook

Department of Defense Freedom of Information Homepage

Department of Defense Freedom of Information Handbook

United States Marine Corps Freedom of Information Act Homepage

United States Air Force Freedom of Information Act Homepage

United States Army Freedom of Information Act Homepage

CNIC's POCs

For Commander, Navy Installations Command Headquarters submit requests to:

Commander, Navy Installations Command
Attn:  FOIA Coordinator
716 Sicard Street SE Suite 1000
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5140
Telephone: (202) 433-9891
FAX:          (202) 433-3396

Freedom of Information Act requests should be sent directly to the Commander, Navy Installations Command region most likely to have the record(s) that you are seeking under FOIA.. Please use the following CNIC regional listing to determine which region to file your FOIA request.

Privacy Act Request

Commander, Navy Installations Command Privacy Act Request Points of Contact

For Commander, Navy Installations Command Headquarters submit requests to:

Commander, Navy Installations Command
Attention: Privacy Act Coordinator
716 Sicard Street SE Suite 1000
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5140
Telephone: (202) 433-4281
FAX: (202) 685-0270

E-mail: CNICHQ_Privacy@us.navy.mil

Privacy Act requests should be sent directly to the Commander, Navy Installations Command region most likely to have the record(s) that you are seeking. Please use the following CNIC regional listing to determine which region to file your Privacy Act request.

There is no specific form to fill out. Simply label your request "PRIVACY ACT REQUEST" on both the request and envelope; identify the specific Privacy Act system of records notice you wish to have searched (See Index of Privacy Act Systems of Records at the Department of the Navy’s Privacy Office web site, (https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/home); and submit your request according to the requirements set forth under "Record Access Procedures" of the system of records notice. E-mail requests will not be accepted as all Privacy Act requests must be signed.

United States

Commander, Navy Region Hawaii
Privacy Act Coordinator
Region Legal Services Office Hawaii
850 Willamette Street
Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-5109
Phone: (808) 473-4057
DSN: 315-4057
FAX: (808) 473-1397

Installations
Naval Station Pearl Harbor
Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai
Naval Computer and Telecommunications
Area Master Station, Pacific

Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic
Privacy Act Coordinator
1510 Gilbert Street
Norfolk, VA 23511-2737
Phone: (757) 322-2934/35
DSN: 262-2934-35
FAX: (757) 445-5445

Installations
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Support Activity Philadelphia
Naval Support Station Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Naval Support Activity Norfolk
Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg
Navy Information Operations Command Sugar Grove
Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base, Willow Grove
Naval Weapons Station Yorktown
Naval Air Station Brunswick
Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst
Naval Support Unit Saratoga Springs
Naval Station Newport
Naval Weapons Station Earle
Naval Submarine Base New London
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island

Commander, Navy Region Midwest
Region Legal Service Office Midwest
2540 Paul Jones Street, Suite 300
Great Lakes, Illinois 60088-2936
Phone: (847) 688-2480/3805
DSN: 792-2480/3805
FAX: (847) 688-2481

Installations
Naval Station Great Lakes
Naval Support Activity, Crane
Naval Support Activity, Mid-South

Commander, Naval District Washington
Privacy Act Coordinator
Region Legal Services Office
Naval District Washington
1343 Dahlgren Ave, SE
Building 1, First Floor
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374
Phone: (202) 433-3819
DSN: 288-3819
FAX: (202) 433-0350

Installations
NSA North Potomac – NSF Thurmont
NSA North Potomac – National Naval Medical Center
NSA North Potomac – U.S. Naval Observatory
NSA North Potomac – Carderock
NSA North Potomac – Arlington Service Center
NSA North Potomac – Potomac Annex
NSA Washington – Washington Navy Yard
NSA Washington – National Maritime Intelligence Center
NSA Washington – Anacostia Annex
NSA Washington – Naval Research Laboratory
NSA South Potomac – Naval Air Facility Washington
NSA South Potomac – Indian Head
NSA South Potomac – Dahlgren
NSA Pax River – Naval Air Station Patuxent River
NSA Pax River – NRC Solomons Island
NSA Annapolis – United States Naval Academy

Commander, Navy Region Northwest
Privacy Act Coordinator
1100 Hunley Road
Silverdale, WA 98315-1100
Phone: (360) 315-5019
DSN: 322-5019
FAX: (360) 315-5008

Installations
Naval Air Station Everett
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Naval Magazine Indian Head
Naval Base Kitsap

Commander, Navy Region Southeast
Privacy Act Coordinator
Naval Air Station
Bldg. 919 Langley Ave, Room 271
Jacksonville, FL 32212
Phone: (904) 542-4026
DSN: 942-4026
FAX: (904) 542-5587

Installations
Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport
Naval Air Station Atlanta
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station/Naval Base Guantanamo
Naval Support Activity Athens
Naval Support Activity Orlando
Naval Support Activity Panama City
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Naval Weapons Station Charleston
Naval Air Station Meridian
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Naval Air Station Whiting Field
Navy School Explosive Ordinance Disposal Eglin AFB
Naval Support Activity New Orleans
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Forth Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans
Naval Air Station Kingsville
Naval Station Ingleside
Transient Personnel Unit, Jacksonville, Florida

Commander, Navy Region Southwest
Privacy Act Coordinator
37 N. Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92132-0058
Phone: (619) 532-2435
DSN: 522-2435
FAX: (619) 532-1426

Installations
Naval Base Point Loma
Naval Base Coronado
Naval Base San Diego
Naval Base Ventura County
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach
Naval Postgraduate School Monteray
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division
Naval Station Lemoore
Naval Air Facility El Centro
Naval Air Station Fallon

Overseas

Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia
Privacy Act Coordinator
PSC 817, Box 108
FPO AE 09622-0108
Phone: 011-081-568-2889
DSN: (314) 626-2889
FAX: 626-2878

Installations
Naval Support Activity Bahrain
Naval Support Activity Gaeta, Italy
Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland
Naval Support Activity La Maddalena, Italy
Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy
Naval Station Rota, Spain
Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy
Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece
Joint Maritime Facility St Mawgans
Commander Naval Activities United Kingdom

Commander, U.S. Naval Force, Japan
Privacy Act Coordinator
PSC 473, Box 12
FPO AP 96349-0012
Phone: 011-81-46-816-7023
DSN: 243-2903
FAX: 243-6616

Installations
Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan
Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan
Fleet Activities Okinawa, Japan
Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan
Naval Air Facility Misawa, Japan
Singapore Area Coordinator
U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia, BIOT

Commander, Navy Region Korea

Privacy Act Coordinator
Unite 15250
FPO AP 96205-5250
Phone: 011-822-7913-4697
DSN: 732-4697

Installations
Fleet Activities Chinhae, Korea

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas
Privacy Act Coordinator
PSC 455 Box 152
FPO AP 96540-1000
Phone: (671) 339-5291
DSN: 315-5291
FAX: (671) 339-2426

Installations
Naval Forces Marianas Support Activity, Guam