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Air Force FOIA requests can now be made online

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Kelly-Herard
  • 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill --  The U.S. Congress established the Freedom of Information Act to allow public access to U.S. government records, ensuring both an informed citizenry and government accountability. Now, taking advantage of the FOIA process to access Air Force information has become easier. Members of Scott's Air Force Network Integration Center (formerly known as Air Force Communications Agency), under the direction of the Air Staff FOIA Functional Advocate, have developed a streamlined way to automate FOIA requests. 

The Air Force has 20 business days to get the information to the requester when a FOIA request is made. Due to the high demand of FOIA requests, however, the Air Force often failed to meet this 20-day deadline, resulting in a backlog of requests. In an effort to better serve the public, the Office of Warfighting Integration and the Chief Information Officer tasked AFNIC to field a new Web-based application that allows online FOIA submissions. AFNIC responded with a $5 million, five-year electronic FOIA (eFOIA) program to support as many as 750 Air Force FOIA Managers processing an average of 10,000 cases annually. The eFOIA system should decrease case processing time as users become familiar with the system. The secure public access link feature is a new online interface to submit and track FOIA requests. Permitting citizens to request information with an online form, this application also includes a reading room library consisting of previously-released documents. This will reduce public requests by consolidating duplicative MAJCOM and base reading rooms into a unified, up-to-date reading room. 

The eFOIA system, called FOIAXpress, makes it easy to enter requests and appeals into the system from written or electronic requests. This includes a complete advanced electronic redaction toolset for search, retrieval, and reference and compliance reporting. Allowing for request submission, delivery, and progress tracking over the Internet, the public access link is a first for the Air Force. 

An initial version of the system was fielded at Langley Air Force Base, Va., earlier this year, achieving a final Air Force-wide capability March 30 which allows full public access. In addition, data of previous FOIA records successfully migrated on June 21, allowing FOIA managers to access legacy FOIA data stored in a central location.
A wide range of organizations participated in this project. AFNIC at Scott, 754th Contracting Squadron at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., 67th Network Warfare Wing at Langley AFB, SAF/XCP at the Pentagon, and ACC/A6 at Langley AFB all played key roles. 

"It was a joint effort with engineers, computer programmers, project managers, contractors, and budget officials from across the Air Force," said Rick Jolly, AFNIC project leader. "This multifaceted cross-organizational group accomplished a tremendous feat in a short amount of time by delivering a 21st century automated FOIA capability. This will provide releasable information to US citizens as required by law in a timely manner." 

The new eFOIA system will more effectively disclose releasable information in accordance with the precepts of a free and democratic country. Further, it will help ensure that the Air Force will be in full compliance with the Open Government Act of 2007, the Jan. 21 Presidential FOIA Memorandum, and the March 19 U.S. Attorney General guidelines regarding a commitment to accountability and transparency within the government while using the latest technology. The project has been a significant undertaking and now enters the sustainment phase of steady state operations for the Air Force.