MFR FOIA RSC
2000 Opelousas Ave.
Building 1, Room 4E5311
New Orleans, LA 70146

TEL (504) 697-8143
Fax (504) 697-9776
Email m_mfr_rsc@usmc.mil

MFR OVERVIEW

ACTIVITIES SERVED BY MARFORRES

INITIAL DENIAL AUTHORITY

COMMONLY REQUESTED RECORDS

FOIA OVERVIEW

QUESTIONS

LINKS

HOW TO MAKE A FOIA REQUEST

FOIA OVERVIEW

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), enacted in 1966, generally provides that any person has the right to access to all federal agency records except for those records (or portions of those records) that are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions or three exclusions (reasons for which an agency may withhold records from a requester).

The exemptions cover:

1)  classified national defense and foreign relations information,
(2)  internal agency rules and practices,
(3)  information that is prohibited from disclosure by another law,
(4)  trade secrets and other confidential business information,
5)  inter-agency or intra-agency communications that are protected by legal privileges,
(6)  information involving matters of personal privacy,
(7)  certain information compiled for law enforcement purposes,
(8)  information relating to the supervision of financial institutions, and
(9)  geological information on wells.

In 1996, Congress revised the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by passing the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (E-FOIA).  The E-FOIA amendments provide for public access to information in an electronic format and for the establishment of electronic FOIA reading rooms through agency FOIA sites on the Internet.

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ACTIVITIES SERVED BY MARFORRES:

MARFORRES HQ, MARFORRES HQ Battalion, 4th Marine Division, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, 4th Marine Logistic Group, Marine Corps Individual Reserve Support Organization.

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INITIAL DENIAL AUTHORITY:

MARFORRES maintains FOIA Initial Denial Authority (IDA) over all MARFORRES units.  ONLY Commander, Marine Forces Reserve (CMFR) is authorized to withhold records under the FOIA based on the nine FOIA exemptions.  As the IDA, CMFR is also authorized to grant or deny requests for fee waivers.

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QUESTIONS:

FOIA requesters who have any questions concerning the processing of their requests with the MARFORRES FOIA Coordinators should contact this center at the phone numbers above.  If you are not satisfied with the response from that center, you may contact the USMC FOIA Public Liaison at SMB.HQMC.FOIA@usmc.mil or telephone (703) 614-4008.

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LINKS:

Department of Defense FOIA Handbook

USMC HQMC FOIA Website

SECNAVINST 5720.42F (DON Program)

MFR FOIA Force Order (pending)

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COMMONLY REQUESTED RECORDS

Names and Duty Station Addresses including E-Mail Addresses
10 U.S.C. § 130(b) prohibits the release of names and duty station addresses and e-mail addresses of individuals who are stationed overseas, routinely deployable (i.e., aboard ships/aircraft), or assigned to sensitive units.  All other addresses are withheld under 5 U.S.C. §552(b)(6).

Home Addresses of Former Members:
We do not maintain home addresses of former members.  Further, home addresses cannot be released under FOIA since release would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

Military Personnel Records of Former Members:
Please visit http://www.archives.gov/veterans/

Privacy Act Records:
To identify what records this Department may be maintaining on you, visit the Navy's Privacy Act website.  Each systems notice identifies how long records are maintained and how to access such records.  Please be advised that signatures are required for access to PA systems of records and therefore electronic requests are normally not acceptable.

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HOW TO MAKE A FOIA REQUEST

You may make a FOIA request in writing, electronically, or by fax to the address, phones and emails listed for the MARFORRES Requestor Service Center.  Your request should include the following:

a.  Label your request "FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST," on the request.

b.  Describe the specific record(s) you are seeking with enough detail so that a knowledgeable official of the activity may locate the record with a reasonable amount of effort.  Such detail should include descriptive information, time-frame to be searched, etc.  Because most Navy records are not retained permanently, the more information provided, the better opportunity there is to determine if the records would still exist and where.  The FOIA clearly states that records must exist at the time the request is submitted to be considered.

c.  State your willingness to pay all fees or those up to a specified amount or provide a justification to support a fee waiver.  Agreements to pay fees are considered to be up to $250, unless another amount is specified.  Currently we charge search, review (for commercial requesters only), and duplication costs.  (The fee schedule is provided at enclosure (3) of Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5720.42F).

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