Tink the Horned Lizard
| Tracking # |
2023-05755 2023-05755-F |
| Submitted | Aug. 14, 2023 |
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Communications
From: Nicholas Marritz
Dear U.S. Air Force:
This is a request for records under the Freedom of Information Act.
RECORDS REQUESTED:
I am seeking records related to "Tink," the horned-lizard mascot of Tinker Air Force Base.
Specifically, I request the following records:
1. Please produce all records related to the conception, creation, and design of Tink. Please include any contracts or design concepts (e.g. sketches) in your production, as well as any records related to the Air Force's decision to create the mascot in the first place.
2. Please produce all Tink-related promotional items, educational items, or tchotchkes that take the form of records, such as trading cards, posters, videos, or books (including but not limited to coloring books, activity books, or comic books).
3. Please produce all records related to the conception, creation, design, and use of any wearable Tink costume. Responsive records would include contracts for the design or production of such a costume; design proposals or sketches; correspondence with the designer or manufacturer; and any guidelines related to the use of or care for the costume.
4. Please produce all communications related to Tink.
REQUEST FOR FEE WAIVER:
The requested documents will be made available to the general public online for free, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. I am working on a project examining the history, creation, evolution, and use of mascots across the federal government—because, like many others, I find them fascinating and weirdly delightful. Thus, I respectfully request that any fees related to this request be waived. If you do decide to charge me fees, please notify me in advance if you expect those fees to exceed $25.
FORM OF PRODUCTION:
I would prefer that this request be filled electronically, by email attachment if available or on CD-ROM if not.
CONCLUSION:
Thank you very much for your cooperation with this request. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Sincerely,
Nicholas Marritz
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Nicholas Marritz,
The status of your FOIA request #2023-05755-F has been updated to the following status 'Received'. To log into the PAL Application click on the Application URL below.
Sincerely,
Air Force FOIA Requester Service Center
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Nicholas Marritz,
Your request has been received by the Air Force FOIA Requester Service Center. The request has been assigned tracking # 2023-05755-F, please log into your account and review your submission.
The application address is https://efoia.cce.af.mil/.
Thank you,
Air Force FOIA Requester Service Center
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Mr. Marritz,
This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated 16-Aug-23, and assigned case number 2023-05755-F, where you seek the following: I am seeking records related to "Tink," the horned-lizard mascot of Tinker Air Force Base. Specifically, I request the following records:1. Please produce all records related to the conception, creation, and design of Tink. Please include any contracts or design concepts (e.g. sketches) in your production, as well as any records related to the Air Force's decision to create the mascot in the first place.2. Please produce all Tink-related promotional items, educational items, or tchotchkes that take the form of records, such as trading cards, posters, videos, or books (including but not limited to coloring books, activity books, or comic books).3. Please produce all records related to the conception, creation, design, and use of any wearable Tink costume. Responsive records would include contracts for the design or production of such a costume; design proposals or sketches; correspondence with the designer or manufacturer; and any guidelines related to the use of or care for the costume.4. Please produce all communications related to Tink.
Basedon the information you have requested, we placed your request in the Simple processing multi-track.A simple request is one that “can be processed quickly with limited impact onthe responding units. The request clearly identifies the recordswith no (or few) complicating factors involved. There are few or no responsiverecords. Only one installation is involved and there are no outside OPRs. Thereare no classified or nongovernment records. No deliberative process/privilegedmaterials are involved. The responsiverecords contain no (or limited) personal privacy information and do not comefrom a Privacy Act system of records. Notime extensions are anticipated.”
Weestimate we can provide a response to your request within 20 working days. Ourpolicy is to process requests within their respective tracks in the order inwhich we receive them. FOIA request are processed as quickly as possible. Wewill advise you if we cannot provide a response within the FOIA statutorytimeline. Wehave placed you in the “Educationalor Noncommercial Scientific Institution or News Media” fee category forprocessing. Under this category, you maybe charged for all duplication (paper) costs. The first 100 pages of duplication are furnished without charge. Yourrequest for fee waiver is denied at this time. We determined the waiver is not in the public interest because theinformation in not likely to contribute significantly to public understandingof the operations or activities of the Air Force. If you disagree andinterpret this response as an adverse action, you may write to the Secretary ofthe Air Force, through: 72 ABW/SCOK, 8500 Industrial Blvd, Bldg 3001G, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma 73145 w ithin 90 calendar days from the date of this letter. Include in the appeal your reasons forreconsideration, and attach a copy of this letter. You may also submit yourappeal on line at the Air Force’s Public Access Link: https://efoia.cce.af.mil/. (https://efoia.cce.af.mil/) You may contact the Air Force FOIAPublic Liaison Officer, Mr. Robert E. Bivins, concerning this final response at AirForce FOIA Public Liaison Office, 1800 Air Force Pentagon, Washington, DC20330-1800 or DAF.FOIA@us.af.mil (mailto:DAF.FOIA@us.af.mil) or(703) 614-8500. You may also seek dispute resolution services from the Officeof Government Information Services, and can find information on this Office at https://www.archives.gov/ogis/mediation-program/request-assistance (https://www.archives.gov/ogis/mediation-program/request-assistance) . Using the dispute resolution services, willnot affect your appeal rights. Direct questions to tinker.foia@us.af.mil and reference the above FOIA case number. Sincerely, //SIGNED// Tinker Air Force Base
Freedom of Information Act Manager
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Requester This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated 16-Aug-23, and assigned case number 2023-05755-F, where you seek the following: REQUESTDESCRIPTION]
We reviewed 23 pages for release anddetermined they are fully releasable in accordancewith 5 U.S.C. §552a. Our review included consideration of the “Foreseeable Harm Standard.” The records areattached. If you disagree and interpret thisresponse as an adverse action, you may write to the Secretary of the Air Force, through: 72 ABW/SCOK, 8500 Industrial Blvd, Bldg 3001G, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma 73145 within 90calendar days from the date of this letter. Include in the appeal your reasons for reconsideration, and attach acopy of this letter. You may also submit your appeal on line at the Air Force’sPublic Access Link: https://efoia.cce.af.mil/ (https://efoia.cce.af.mil/) You may contact the Air Force FOIAPublic Liaison Officer, Mr. Robert Bivins, concerning this final response at AirForce FOIA Public Liaison Office, 1800 Air Force Pentagon, Washington, DC20330-1800 or
DAF.FOIA@us.af.mil or(703) 614-8500. You may also seek dispute resolution services from the Officeof Government Information Services, and can find information on this Office at (mailto:DAF.FOIA@us.af.mil) https://www.archives.gov/ogis/mediation-program/request-assistance. (https://www.archives.gov/ogis/mediation-program/request-assistance) Using thedispute resolution services, will not affect your appeal rights.
The FOIA provides for the collectionof fees based on the costs of processing a FOIA request and your feecategory. In this case, we assessed nofees for processing this request.
Direct questions to tinker.foia@us.af.mil andreference the above FOIA case number. Sincerely,
//SIGNED//
Tinker Air Force Base
Freedom of Information Act Manager Attachment:
ReleasableRecords 23 pgs)
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Nicholas Marritz,
The status of your FOIA request #2023-05755-F has been updated to the following status 'Documents Delivered'. To log into the PAL Application click on the Application URL below.
Sincerely,
Air Force FOIA Requester Service Center
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Attached is another copy of your requested document in case the eFOIA system fails. (which it has been know to do so almost every time).
From: Nicholas Marritz
Dear Tinker AFB:
Thank you so much for these records! I think that the mascot looks really good. However, I think that there may be additional records responsive to my request. I'll mention them here and hopefully spare you an administrative appeal.
Category 1 of my request asked for all records related to the conception, creation, and design of Tink. You produced one sketch of the Tink mascot, but I think that there may be other sketches or design proposals that weren't produced. Here's the reason I think this: On page 1 of the records you released, someone from the costume company mentions a "revised sketch for Tink," implying that there was a prior sketch. Indeed, the attachment to the email is called "Mascot concept_3rd round to client 051722.jpg," implying that there were at least two prior "rounds" of concept sketches. Then on page 5, someone from Tinker AFB writes to the costume company mentioning color swatches for Tink's clothing: "The swatch 'coveralls option A' is a good match. ... From the swatches you provided the 'shoe accents option c' was the closest to coyote brown, but it was noticeably brighter. Also, was there a reason why yellow was chosen as Tink's skin tone?" The costume company says that they'll send additional swatches. But the sketch you produced was in gray-scale, and there were no options for color swatches provided either. So there is likely at least two prior sketches, possibly another sketch with a yellow skin tone, and some proposed options for the colors of Tink's clothing. Could you please search for and produce those records?
Category 3 of my request asked for all records related to the conception, creation, design, and use of any wearable Tink costume. There are some communications related to the costume, but you produced no photographs of the costume or any guidelines for its use. And on page 10, someone writes: "I'm drafting our communication strategy for the Tinker mascot." But that document wasn't produced either. (There is some language quoted from AFI 35-101 about community engagement in general, but it doesn't appear to be Tink specific.) Could you please search for and produce those records?
Thank you very much,
Nicholas Marritz
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Requester - This is in response to your email. We are looking into this and will get back with you soon. Thank you.
From: Tinker Air Force Base
Dear Requester, we did more research and are providing an additional 21 pages of information in order to satisfy your request for follow-up records search. I hope you find this information completes your request for more information. We feel that our search has been thorough and exhaustive in nature and that no other records exist on the subject. Please take note of the comments from the Chief of Public Affairs on page 1 of the attached documents. Thank you.
From: Nicholas Marritz
Dear Tinker AFB:
This is excellent. Thank you so much for the additional time spent in your search, review, and production of these records! I'm happy to have them, and I consider my request fully satisfied.
With sincere thanks,
Nicholas Marritz
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