The DTIC FOIA Reading Room lists documents that have been processed through the DTIC FOIA Requester Service Center by year of request.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that establishes the public's right to request existing records from federal government agencies. The Act, known by its legal cite as 5 U.S.C. 552, along with the Department of Defense (DoD) Regulation 5400.7-R, "Department of Defense Freedom of Information Act Program," can be found at Part 286 of Chapter 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which is available in most libraries.

Any "person" can file a FOIA request, including U.S. citizens, foreign nationals, organizations, universities, businesses and state and local governments, but not including a federal agency or a fugitive from the law. DoD 5400.7-R, paragraph C1.4.2.

A FOIA request can be made for any record, regardless of physical form or characteristics, in DTIC's possession at the time a request is made and which is not already in the public domain, such as in a library or available through an established distribution system, the Federal Register, the National Technical Information Service, or the Internet. The FOIA does not require federal agencies to answer questions, render opinions, or provide subjective evaluations. Requesters must ask for existing records since the FOIA does not require a record to be created, compiled or obtained to satisfy a FOIA request. DoD 5400.7-R, paragraph C1.4.2.

A request should be made in writing and forwarded to the DTIC FOIA Officer at the address above. Clearly mark it as a "Freedom of Information Act Request" and state your willingness to pay applicable fees. If you seek a fee waiver, provide a justification for such a waiver. To help us identify and locate the information, a request should describe the record as clearly and specifically as possible. A statement of the reason for making the request is not required, however it can be useful in determining whether a fee reduction or waiver is appropriate. DoD 5400.7-R, paragraph C1.4.2.

After the request is received by the FOIA Office and logged in, we do our best to provide a response within 20 working days as required by the revised statute. However, if the timeframe cannot be met due to the volume and/or complexity of requests received, we will advise the requester of this fact within the 20-workday statutory time limit. If at all possible, we will provide a requester with a certain timeframe in which a final response may be anticipated. There are provisions for expedited processing of FOIA requests. Please see DoD Regulation 5400.7-R, paragraph C1.5.4.3.

DoD5400.7-R, Chapter 6 allows fees to be charged to certain types of requesters, but it also provides that waivers or reductions in fees be given if disclosing the information is in the public interest. Public interest is defined as information which significantly enhances the public's knowledge of the operations and activities of the DoD. The FOIA requires that requesters be placed into one of the below categories:

Commercial: Requesters who seek information for a use or purpose that furthers their commercial, trade, or profit interest are considered commercial requesters. Commercial requesters pay all fees for search, review and duplication.

Educational: Institutions of education, including preschools, elementary or secondary schools and institutions of higher learning, qualify as educational institutions. The records must be sought in furtherance of scholarly research. Educational requesters pay only duplication fees, unless it is determined that fees are waived or reduced in the public interest. The first 100 pages are provided at no cost.

Non-Commercial Scientific: A non-commercial scientific institution is operated solely for conducting scientific research. The records must be sought in furtherance of scientific research. Like educational requesters, these requesters pay only duplication fees, unless it is determined that fees are waived or reduced in the public interest. The first 100 pages are provided at no cost.

News Media: A representative of the news media is a person actively gathering news for an entity organized and operated to publish or broadcast news to the public. News media pay only duplication fees, unless it is determined that fees are waived or reduced in the public interest. The first 100 pages are provided at no cost.

"Other" Requesters: Requesters who do not qualify in another category are considered "other" requesters, and normally make requests for agency records for their personal use. "Other" requesters receive two hours search, all review costs, and the first 100 pages at no cost.

All requesters should submit a willingness to pay fees regardless of the fee category; however, this does not mean you will be charged fees. Except for commercial requesters, waivers are always considered.

Fee waivers may be granted when disclosure of the records is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government. The following factors are weighed in making a fee waiver determination:

• The subject of the request.
• The informative value of the information to be disclosed.
• The contribution to an understanding of the subject by the general public likely to result from the disclosure
• The significance of the contribution to public understanding
• Disclosure of the information is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.
• The ability of the requester to disseminate the information.

Fees charged for processing FOIA requests can be found here.