NCIS: FOIA request filed for Range Fouler database records
The Black Vault submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in January 2022. Investigators sought records containing the phrase 'range fouler' within the K-NET database system. NCIS subsequently located one responsive report but withheld it entirely under national security exemptions.
Background
In early 2022, researchers filed formal FOIA requests targeting NCIS investigative databases for Range Fouler documentation. The query specifically searched the K-NET system, which houses naval criminal investigation records. Agency personnel identified exactly one responsive document containing the requested terminology. However, officials denied release in full, citing exemption (b)(1) regarding classified national security information. Via TheBlackVault.com (FOIA), this denial exemplifies ongoing tensions between transparency advocates and intelligence classification protocols. The search additionally revealed eight closed investigation files, all subsequently withheld from public disclosure.