What did the declassified documents reveal?

Document: OSD FOIA case notes, post-appeal (case 04-F-1563) Released: The Black Vault Entry: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/ Canonical PDF: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/04-F-1563-CaseNotes-postappeal.pdf This is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case processing note, released after an appeal for case 04-F-1563. The case involves a FOIA request submitted by John Greenewald, Jr. in 2004, seeking documents related to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's surprise visit to the Abu Ghraib prison in May 2004. Provenance: The document was released by The Black Vault, a non-profit organization that provides access to declassified government documents. The release date is not specified, but the document is dated October 3, 2018. The document was declassified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) under the Freedom of Information Act. The Document: Dear Mr. Greenewald, This responds to your October 17, 2016 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) appeal. You appealed the partial denial of records responsive to your September 14, 2016 FOIA request. After carefully considering your appeal, I have determined that additional information should be released. FOIA properly withheld certain information in the enclosed pages because it is protected from disclosure under the FOIA pursuant to: 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5), which concerns certain inter- and intra-agency records protected by the deliberative process privilege; and 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6), which concerns material the release of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of third parties. You have the right to judicial review of this decision in a United States District Court, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(B). Enclosures: [Four lines redacted under exemption B1] [Four lines redacted under exemption B1] [Four lines redacted under exemption B1] [Four lines redacted under exemption B1] You have the right to judicial review of this decision in a United States District Court, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(B). Context: The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) processed the FOIA request and appeal in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. The OSD determined that certain information was protected from disclosure under the FOIA and withheld it from release. Outro: This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. The case notes and appeals process provide insight into how the government processes and adjudicates FOIA requests. The document is a testament to the complexity and nuance of the Freedom of Information Act. storyflo.com https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/04-F-1563-CaseNotes-postappeal.pdf

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process.

Case · DAILY-117

OSD FOIA case notes, post-appeal (case 04-F-1563)

JUL 5 · 2026Narrated by daily-declassified-osd-foia-case-notes-post-appeal-case-04-f-15634 minLast updated July 5, 2026

The short version

pdf This is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case processing note, released after an appeal for case 04-F-1563. The case involves a FOIA request submitted by John Greenewald, Jr. in 2004, seeking documents related to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's surprise visit to the Abu Ghraib prison in May 2004.

Date: JUL 5 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)

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Document: OSD FOIA case notes, post-appeal (case 04-F-1563) Released: The Black Vault Entry: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/ Canonical PDF: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/04-F-1563-CaseNotes-postappeal.pdf This is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case…

Questions about this case

What was OSD FOIA case notes, post-appeal (case 04-F-1563) about?: pdf This is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case processing note, released after an appeal for case 04-F-1563. The case involves a FOIA request submitted by John Greenewald, Jr. in 2004, seeking documents related to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's surprise visit to the Abu Ghraib prison in May 2004.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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