DoD Denies FOIA Appeal on Withheld AARO Documents
The Department of Defense denied The Black Vault's appeal regarding three pages of AARO documents withheld under exemption (b)(5). The denial letter affirmed that the materials are protected deliberative process records containing internal agency opinions and recommendations.
Background
On September 20, 2023, the Department of Defense officially denied The Black Vault's administrative appeal seeking the release of three previously withheld pages of AARO records. The denial was based on 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5), which protects inter- and intra-agency memoranda that are deliberative in nature. The appeal authority determined that the documents contain subjective evaluations, opinions, and recommendations that are part of the agency's decision-making process. This decision marked the final administrative action on this specific FOIA request regarding AARO's internal status reports and findings. Source: Via TheBlackVault.com (FOIA).