Public Law 5 U.S.C. 552 enacted the Freedom of Information Act. It established statutory rights of access to government information. It 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 thereof) are protected from disclosure by one of nine exemptions or one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. See DOD5400.7-R AF Sup 1, Freedom on Information Act Program, the prescribing directive for more information.

It is important to remember that the Freedom of Information Act applies only to federal agencies. It does not create a right of access to records held by Congress, the courts, state or local government agencies, or by private businesses or individuals. Each state has its own public access laws that should be consulted for access to state and local records.

Who Can Submit a Freedom of Information Act Request?
Members of the public, including foreign citizens, military and civilian personnel acting as private citizens, organizations and businesses, and individual members of the Congress for themselves or constituents, may request records in writing. Government employees submitting requests should not use government equipment, supplies, stationery, postage, telephones, or official mail channels to make FOIA requests.

Where to Submit a FOIA Request
FOIA requests for JCSE, MacDill AFB must be submitted in writing and include a title or reasonable description of the desired records and a statement on willingness to pay fees for search, review, and reproduction. Submit requests via US mail, fax, email, or hand carry to the following address:

JCSE/J1 (FOIA)
8532 Marina Bay Dr.
MacDill AFB, FL 33621
Phone: (813) 828-0521/DSN 968-0521
FAX: (813) 828-4193/DSN 968-4193
FOIA Questions for JCSE can be sent to FOIA@JCSE.mil.