NORTHCOM denies Fastwalkers/Slowwalkers FOIA request citing classification
U.S. Northern Command denied a November 2013 FOIA request from The Black Vault regarding 'Fastwalkers' and 'Slowwalkers' documentation. The command determined that two responsive documents were properly classified and exempt from public release.
Background
In December 2013, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) responded to a Freedom of Information Act request filed the previous month by The Black Vault. The request sought regulations and handling procedures for 'Fastwalkers' and 'Slowwalkers', terms used to describe anomalous objects detected by defense systems. NORTHCOM identified two responsive documents but withheld both, deeming them properly classified under national security guidelines. This denial established an early precedent for the classification of orbital surveillance terminology and tracking protocols, which would be referenced a decade later when the Space Force issued an identical refusal regarding the same subject matter.