Pride Month 2017, 2018, 2019 (Marines - United States Marine Corps, USMC)

This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://www.foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/submissionDetails?trackingNumber=DON-USMC-2019-008681&type=request)
* Tracking Number: DON-USMC-2019-008681
* Requester Name: Emma Best
* Date Submitted: 07/02/2019
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Copies of records mentioning or describing Pride Month activities, events or observances in 2017, 2018 or 2019. This includes, but is not limited to:

* directives
* policies
* pride flag
* commemoration
* publications
* emails, memos, letters, and other communications with OGAs or the White House

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Emma Best

Attachments:

https://cdn.muckrock.com/outbound_composer_attachments/EmmaBest/72046/Fee20category20and20search20parameters.pdf
Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AABaruStq3VSmV0nX0JIKtp8GOM%3A1hiAkJ%3ArNjZSbx5avgFicxji57jJBP_GpA&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Fmarines-27%252Fpride-month-2017-2018-2019-marines-united-states-marine-corps-usmc-76364%252F%253F

Good morning, Ms. Best,
This e-mail serves to acknowledge your FOIA request and to let you know that I am the analyst assigned; we have initiated a search for records by the Communications Directorate and the Office of Legislative Affairs.  It also addresses your request for a fee waiver; before making a decision, we must first determine whether your request meets the Department of Defense (DoD) requirements for fee waivers, taking into consideration the following factors:
1.  Does the record specifically concern identifiable operations or activities of the Government?
2.  If so, is disclosure likely to contribute to public understanding of these operations and activities?  Are the releasable contents of the record(s) meaningfully informative in relation to the subject of the request?  For example, is this information of wide public interest and will your disclosure be unique in enhancing public knowledge?
3.  Is the focus on contributing to public understanding rather than the requester's own understanding or that of a narrow segment of interested persons?
4.  Will any likely contribution to public understanding be significant?
Requests for fee waivers should address these requirements in sufficient detail for us to make an informed decision, as each request is considered on its own merits.  After a thorough review, it was determined that your request does not meet these requirements and we have, therefore, denied it.  For example, you have not demonstrated how any responsive records would shed light on the mission and operations of the Marine Corps.  For these reasons, your request is denied at this time.  Should you wish to submit additional supporting information, we would be glad to reconsider.
That said, since the Office of the Judge Advocate General has categorized you as a “media” requester, you would only be responsible for duplication costs.  Responsive records, if any, will be delivered electronically and, therefore, duplication fees would not apply.
Because we have denied your request for a fee waiver, you may consider this an adverse determination that may be appealed.  Since you have created an account in FOIAonline, you may submit an appeal directly within the web-based system.  To do this, you would log in to your account, retrieve your original request, and then click on the "Create Appeal" tab in the left-hand column.  The basic information from your request will be duplicated for you, and then you can type in the basis of your appeal.  If you prefer to use regular mail, you may submit an appeal to the Judge Advocate General (Code 14), 1322 Patterson Avenue SE, Suite 3000, Washington Navy Yard, DC  20374-5066.  Your appeal, if any, must be postmarked within 90 calendar days from the date of this email and should include a statement indicating why you believe it should be granted.  I recommend that your appeal and its envelope both bear the notation, "Freedom of Information Act Appeal".
Should you wish to reply to this correspondence, please utilize the e-mail address below.
Michael Peters
HQMC FOIA Team Lead
703-614-4008
hqmcfoia@usmc.mil

Your request for Fee Waiver for the FOIA request DON-USMC-2019-008681 has been denied.
* Fee Waiver Original Justification: As my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and
making the raw data available, I request that fees be waived.
* Fee Waiver Disposition Reason: Please see FOIAonline correspondence of July 30, 2019, for details and appeal rights.

Dear Ms. Best,

Attached, please see our response to your Freedom of Information request.  Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Michael Peters
HQMC FOIA Team Lead
703-614-4008
hqmcfoia@usmc.mil