REPORTS ON HAZING IN THE ARMED FORCES

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

A copy of the report submitted in compliance with Sec. 534 of NDAA 2013:

SEC. 534. REPORTS ON HAZING IN THE ARMED FORCES.

(a) Reports Required- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) shall submit to the congressional committees specified in subsection (c) a report on hazing in each Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

(b) Elements- The report on an Armed Force required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) An evaluation of the definition of hazing contained in the Secretary of Defense Policy Memorandum dated August 28, 1997.

(2) A discussion of the policies of the Armed Force for preventing and responding to incidents of hazing.

(3) A description of the methods implemented to track and report, including report anonymously, incidents of hazing in the Armed Force.

(4) An assessment by the Secretary submitting the report of the following:

(A) The scope of the problem of hazing in the Armed Force.

(B) The training on recognizing and preventing hazing provided members of the Armed Force.

(C) The actions taken to prevent and respond to hazing incidents in the Armed Force.

(D) The extent to which the Uniform Code of Military Justice specifically addresses the prosecution of persons subject to the Code who are alleged to have committed hazing.

(E) The feasibility of establishing a database to track, respond to, and resolve incidents of hazing.

(5) A description of the additional actions, if any, the Secretary submitting the report proposes to take to further address the incidence of hazing in the Armed Force.

(6) Any recommended changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice or the Manual for Courts-Martial to improve the prosecution of persons alleged to have committed hazing in the Armed Forces.

(c) Submission of Reports- The reports required by subsection (a) shall be submitted--

(1) to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and

(2) to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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,

Shawn Musgrave

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 27, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

I am in receipt of your letter in response to FOIA 2013-HQFO-00778. I believe that I have adequately described this record.

To describe the record, I have indicated that:

(i) This report is required by NDAA 2013, Sec 534, which requires a report to be submitted on hazing in each Armed Force;

(ii) the Office of the Secretary must submit the requested report;

(iii) the Secretary is to report on hazing in the Coast Guard

(iv) the report is to be submitted to particular Congressional committees (Armed Services (Senate); Commerce, Science and Transportation (Senate); Armed Services (House); Transportation and Infrastructure (House).

(v) the report was to be submitted no later than 180 days after the enactment of NDAA 2013 (end of July).

A FOIA request must either (a) describe the record itself, or (b) describe the circumstances that led to the creation of the record. I have done the second at length sufficient to conduct a search. I therefore reassert my FOIA rights to obtain the requested document.

Respectfully,

Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 27, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 7, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 7, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 7, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

Apologies for the confusion. Per the attached letter, this request was transferred from DHS FOIA in August.

Please confirm that you've begun processing it, and provide me with the USCG FOIA number.

Best,
Shawn

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 7, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

Ms. Ackerson,

Can you provide the email address for Erika Selmon so I can follow up directly?

Best,
Shawn

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 7, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 7, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2013-HQFO-00778.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

Thank you for the update. Please provide an email address for Ms. Teresa Stevenson for direct followup.

Thank you.

Ms. Stevenson:

Per the below, this request has been forwarded to your attention for processing. Please confirm.

Thank you.