Journal of Defense Research, Volume 1A, #2, Summer 1969

Dear Mr. Joseph Durso,

Please find attached both FOIA Request 20-F-0440 which has been received in our office on December 30, 2019, as well as our office's interim response. Please refer to your assigned case number 20-F-0440 in all future correspondences. If you have any questions or wish to narrow the scope of this request, to potentially expedite our response, please feel free to contact me directly.

V/R,

Xavier Salame
FOIA analyst
For Stephen Fisher, on behalf of
Stephanie L. Carr
Chief, Office of Freedom of Information
OSD/JS FOIA Requester Service Center

(571) 372-0419
xavier.p.salame.ctr@mail.mil < Caution-mailto:xavier.p.salame.ctr@mail.mil >

Let us know how we are doing:
Caution-https://ice.disa.mil/index.cfm?fa=card&sp=125562 <
Caution-https://ice.disa.mil/index.cfm?fa=card&sp=125562 >

Good Afternoon Mr. Durso,

Please find attached both FOIA Request 20-F-0440, which has been received in our office on December 30, 2019, as well as our office's final response.

Respectfully,

Xavier Salame
FOIA analyst
For Stephen Fisher, on behalf of
Stephanie L. Carr
Chief, Office of Freedom of Information OSD/JS FOIA Requester Service Center

(571) 372-0419
xavier.p.salame.ctr@mail.mil

Dear Mr. Durso:
Your request originally submitted to the Office of the Secretary of
Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, FOIA Office on December 28, 2019 was
referred by that office to the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA) on January 24, 2020.

This office handles FOIA and Privacy Act requests for the National Archives
and Records Administration's *operational* records (records created by this
agency). Because your FOIA request is for records that may be
archival records
(records created by or originated in a different agency but that may have
been transferred to the legal custody of NARA), we have forwarded it
to our *Office
of Research Services, Textual Reference (RDT2)* staff who handle FOIA
requests for textual archival records.

That office will assign your request a tracking number and respond directly
to you. In the future, if you need to follow up with that office directly,
please contact them at the address below, or electronically via email.

The National Archives and Records Administration
Research Services, Textual Reference Branch (RDT2)
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2400
College Park, MD 20740

By phone: 301-837-3091
By fax: 301-837-1752
By email: archives2reference@nara.gov

For your reference, a copy of your request is below.

Please visit our website at www.archives.gov/foia for further information
about making a FOIA request to NARA. On our main website,
www.archives.gov, you
can learn more about the resources we offer to the public, and you can
access our online catalog.

Thank you for contacting the National Archives.

Sincerely,
Susan Gillett
Government Information Specialist
Office of General Counsel
National Archives and Records Administration
College Park, MD 20740-6001
301-837-3409
susan.gillett@nara.gov

Dear Mr. Durso,

My apologies for the confusion, P&R has nothing to do with the search. This was all my mistake nothing more than a clerical error. We did task out DARPA for a search of their records. They searched and come back to us saying they cannot find any records at DARPA. DARPA suggested that we refer the case and subsequent search to NARA. Just because the records originated with a certain organization or component of the government doesn’t necessarily mean that those entities have cognizance over those records for their lifetime. A lot of records go to NARA after a certain degree of time passing so that they may maintain and protect the records for their lifetime. The reason we said it was misdirected is because my office only processes requests for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Joint Staff. We don’t have purview over the records at the National Archives (NARA). This is why we forwarded your request to them. The reason we sent it to NARA is because DARPA said we should. Your records were probably housed at DARPA at some point and then migrated over to NARA for prosperity. Again, my apologies I made the clerical error that line should have read DARPA searched their records and databases and found no records and suggested we refer the request to NARA.

I would be happy to answer and more questions or concerns that you may have. I see NARA has sent you a response saying that your request was received and is being processed. I have left my contact information at the bottom so you may call or email me anytime I am always happy to help. Again, I am terribly sorry for the confusion for which I caused.

Respectfully,

Xavier Salame

FOIA analyst

For Stephen Fisher, on behalf of

Stephanie L. Carr

Chief, Office of Freedom of Information OSD/JS FOIA Requester Service Center

(571) 372-0419

xavier.p.salame.ctr@mail.mil

February 6, 2020

Joseph Durso
Muck Rock News
DEPT MR 84775
411A Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

Dear Mr. Durso:

This is in response to your forwarded December 28, 2019, Freedom of
Information Act request (20-20320) seeking copies of The Journal of Defense
Research, Volume 1A, Number 2, Summer 1969. We received your request on
January 29, 2020.

The Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RDT2) has custody of the Records
of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330). Most of our
records are described at the series level; with a portion identified by
folder title and even fewer at the document level. Please be advised only 1
– 3% of Federal Records (military or civilian) are deemed to be of
permanent retention status. The remaining records are disposed according to
Federal records management disposition authorities.

An initial search of the National Archives Catalog found a reference to the
file Information & Publications – Journal of Defense Research, 1970 – 1974;
kept among the series: Subject Files and Other Administrative Records, 1970
– 1974 (UD-04W, Entry 120). The file only contains background discussions
ranging from 1963 to 1968 regarding the conversion of the Journal of
Missile Defense Research to the Journal of Defense Research. The actual
journals are not present among the record.

We also searched the series Research and Engineering General Subject Files,
1956 – 1970 (UD-05W, Entry 57). This series consists of twenty oversized
boxes containing approximately 12,000 pages per box; with only a
description of the first and last folders in each box. There is no file
level description; the boxes must be searched through onsite research here
at Archives II. In addition, there are several additional series of records
within Record Group 330 containing records created by the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA); these entries are not described at the
file/document level. Many are open with no access restrictions; some remain
security classified. The volume of material involved to locate your file(s)
of interest requires significant research here at Archives II.

We make reasonable efforts to assist researchers with their work. As a
matter of policy, the National Archives is staffed to assist researchers
with their work, including but not limited to pointing researchers to
helpful finding aids to begin their research. However, given the
limitations on staff resources, we do not generally conduct substantive
research in response to requests filed under the Freedom of Information
Act, except in circumstances where documents are easily locatable.

We will be pleased to make the finding aids to these records available to
you or your representative in our research room at the National Archives in
College Park, MD. The Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RDT2) is
located at 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, near the University of
Maryland--College Park campus.

--Textual Research Room (Room 2000) hours are 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday
through Friday, except legal holidays.
--Our consultation room hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through
Friday, except legal holidays. No appointment is necessary.
--Records are retrieved Monday through Friday for use in the Textual
Research Room between the hours of 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We do not pull in
advance.
--Prior to your visit, please consult our web site at
https://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/,
https://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/self-service-copying.html, and
https://www.archives.gov/research/start/getting-started.pdf.

We do not consider this a denial of your FOIA request. However, if you are
not satisfied with our action on this request, your options for appeal and
dispute resolution are outlined in the attached enclosure.

This completes processing of your request.

Sincerely,

LYMAN REID
Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RDT2)
National Archives at College Park, MD

RDT2 20-20320

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Susan Gillett <susan.gillett@nara.gov>
Date: Mon, Jan 27, 2020 at 4:17 PM
Subject: OSD-JS FOIA Referral of Durso FOIA to NARA
To: Textual Reference Archives II Branch <archives2reference@nara.gov>

Good afternoon,

Please see the attached referral memorandum from the Office of Secretary of
Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff FOIA Office referring Mr. Durso's request to
NARA for direct response to the requester. I have notified Mr. Durso of
the referral by separate email (copy attached).

Also attached is Mr. Durso's initial request to OSD/JS and their response
to him.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Susan

Susan Gillett
Government Information Specialist
Office of General Counsel
National Archives and Records Administration
College Park, MD 20740-6001
301-837-3409
susan.gillett@nara.gov