Requesting a Record under the FOIA

Minimum Requirements of a FOIA Request:

• Your request must be prepared in writing.
• Label your request "Freedom of Information Act Request" on the request, as well as the envelope.
• Describe the specific record(s) you are seeking with sufficient detail so that a knowledgeable official of the activity may locate the record with a reasonable amount of effort.  Be specific, include dates, timeframes, and the name(s) of individual(s) who may have knowledge of the subject of your request.
• Include a statement regarding willingness to pay all fees or fees up to a specified amount or request a waiver (the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the DON/DoD and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester).
• Include requester's full name, complete U.S. postal service mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address.

USNA has no centralized repository or directory for records. In as much, it is not possible to accept open-ended requests for "Any" or "All" records without further specificity. Descriptive information falls within two broad categories:

• Category I is file-related and includes information such as type of record, title, index citation, subject area, date the record was created, or its originator.

• Category II is event-related and includes the circumstances that resulted in the record being created or the date and circumstances surrounding the event the record covers.

Generally, a record is not reasonably described unless the description contains sufficient Category I information to permit the conduct of an organized, non-random search based on the existing filing arrangements and retrieval systems, or unless the record contains sufficient Category II information to permit inference of the Category I elements needed to conduct such a search.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) -- such as social security numbers and date of birth -- should not be submitted with this request. If that information is needed during the FOIA process, you will be contacted at that time.

The statutory 20 working day time limit applies upon receipt of a proper "perfected" FOIA request.  A "perfected" FOIA request is one that meets all the minimum requirements of a FOIA request, listed above.  Once the FOIA Office has determined that your request is perfected, it will then be forwarded to an appropriate command official who will be requested to conduct a search for a responsive record.  

All requests not meeting the minimum requirements of a proper FOIA request, listed above, will be returned to the requester for additional information.  

Submit Your Request

You may submit your request by one of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions:

• E-mail: FOIA@usna.edu

Alternate Submissions:

• U.S. Mail: 
  Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy 
  Attention: FOIA Coordinator 
  121 Blake Road 
  Annapolis, MD 21402-1300

Check the Status of Your Request

• E-mail:  FOIA@usna.edu or 410-293-1550
• Mailed Submissions:  FOIA@usna.edu or 410-293-1550