Department of War / Office of the Secretary of War / Joint Staff FOIA release (case 20-F-0163)

Document: Department of War / Office of the Secretary of War / Joint Staff FOIA release (case 20-F-0163) Agency: Department of War Date: April 22, 2026 Notable: FOIA response to a request for information on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). From The Black Vault's archive entry: This is an example of the war.gov-era Department-of-War FOIA reading-room output, released through FOIA case number 20-F-0163. The document is a response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from The Black Vault, Inc. dated October 29, 2019. The Office of the Secretary of War/Joint Staff (OSW/JS) conducted a search of their records systems and located 416 pages determined to be responsive to the request. The responsive pages were reviewed by various Initial Denial Authorities, including Ms. Tanya Rose, Mr. David Bennett, C.C. Davison, Mr. Mark Dorgan, and Mr. Richard Strong. Portions of the pages were determined to be exempt from release pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(3), 10 U.S.C. § 424, and 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(5) and (b)(6). The exemptions were applied to protect information specifically exempted by statute, information pertaining to employees of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and inter- and intra-agency memoranda which are deliberative in nature. The document also includes a series of emails between individuals, including Lue Elizondo and Chris Mellon, discussing the release of information related to UAP. The emails contain redacted information, including exemptions under 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(5) and (b)(6). The Office of the Secretary of War/Joint Staff has considered the foreseeable harm standard when reviewing records and applying exemptions under the FOIA. Fees for processing the request were below the threshold for requiring payment. The document includes contact information for the Action Officer assigned to the request, Brianna Johnson, and the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration. This is the text of the Department of War / Office of the Secretary of War / Joint Staff FOIA release (case 20-F-0163). DEPARTMENT OF WAR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR/JOINT STAFF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1155 Ref: 20-F-0163 April 22, 2026 Mr. John Greenewald The Black Vault, Inc. 27305 W. Live Oak Road Suite #1203 Castaic, CA 91384 Dear Mr. Greenewald: This is a final response to your October 29, 2019 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, a copy of which is enclosed for your convenience. The Office of the Secretary of War/Joint Staff (OSW/JS) FOIA Requester Service Center received your request on October 30, 2019, and assigned it FOIA case number 20-F-0163. We ask that you use this number when referring to your request. The Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs (OATSW(PA)), a component of OSW, conducted a search of their records systems and located 416 pages determined to be responsive to your request. Ms. Tanya Rose, Information Management Director, OATSW(PA); Mr. David Bennett, Director, DoD Office of Information Counsel Office of General Counsel; C.C. Davison, Chief, Records and Open Government, Defense Intelligence Agency; Mr. Mark Dorgan, Director, FOIA, Privacy and Civil Liberties Office, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General; and Mr. Richard Strong, Director Navy FOIA/PA Program Office, in their capacities as Initial Denial Authorities, have determined that portions of the 416 responsive pages are exempt from release pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(3), information specifically exempted by a statute establishing particular criteria for withholding, applying 10 U.S.C. § 424 which protects an organization or any function of an organization, and certain information pertaining to, employees of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Information was also withheld pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(5), inter- and intra-agency memoranda which are deliberative in nature; this exemption is appropriate for internal documents which are part of the decision-making process, and contain subjective evaluations, opinions and recommendations; (b)(6), information which, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of individuals. Please note that we have considered the foreseeable harm standard when reviewing records and applying exemptions under the FOIA in the processing of this request. In this instance, fees for processing your request were below the threshold for requiring payment. Please note that fees may be assessed on future requests. If you have any questions or concerns about the foregoing or about the processing of your request, please do not hesitate to contact the Action Officer assigned to your request, Brianna Johnson, at brianna.n.johnson2.civ@mail.mil or 571-372-0409. Additionally, if you have concerns about service received by our office, please contact a member of our Leadership Team at 571-372-0498 or Toll Free at 866-574-4970. Should you wish to inquire about mediation services, you may contact the OSW/JS FOIA Public Liaison, Virginia