Last updated: June 2026
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using the FOIA Repository (“the Service”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Service. This Service is provided by Sailorbob.org in partnership with DutyStation.ai as a public-interest research tool.
2. Nature of the Service
The Service hosts documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, and other publicly available records from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of the Navy. These documents are reproduced as received from the originating agency. The Service does not alter, redact, or modify the content of these documents beyond what was done by the releasing agency.
3. Disclaimer of Endorsement
The views and opinions expressed in the documents hosted on this Service are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or any other U.S. Government agency. Reference to or appearance of any commercial product, service, or entity does not constitute endorsement by the DoD or the U.S. Government.
4. Permitted Use
You may use the Service and its hosted documents for:
- Personal research and educational purposes
- Journalistic reporting and public-interest analysis
- Legal research and reference
- Academic study and citation
Documents obtained via FOIA are generally releasable under 5 U.S.C. § 552 and may be redistributed. However, some documents may contain limited distribution notations or controlled unclassified information (CUI). Users are responsible for complying with any such restrictions indicated on individual documents.
5. Prohibited Conduct
You agree not to:
- Use the Service to plan, facilitate, or execute any violation of U.S. federal, state, or local law
- Attempt to reverse-engineer, scrape at scale, or disrupt the Service's infrastructure
- Remove or alter any copyright, classification, or distribution markings from documents
- Misrepresent the documents or their source in any way that could impair national security or the integrity of ongoing investigations
6. Intellectual Property
U.S. Government works are generally not subject to copyright protection under 17 U.S.C. § 105. Documents created by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties may be freely used. However, documents may contain copyrighted material incorporated by reference or under license. The Service claims no copyright over the hosted documents. The Service's software, design, and indexing tools are the property of Sailorbob.org and DutyStation.ai.
7. Privacy
Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. By using the Service, you consent to the data practices described therein.
8. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
The Service is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose. Sailorbob.org and DutyStation.ai shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use of, or inability to use, the Service or any documents hosted therein. Documents are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal, military, or professional advice.
9. FOIA Reference
This Service is not a substitute for filing a FOIA request. To file a request directly with the Department of Defense, visit the DoD FOIA portal at foia.gov. Requests are processed under 32 CFR Part 286 (DoD FOIA Program) and 32 CFR Part 287 (DoD Privacy Program).
10. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms of Service at any time. Continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. The “Last updated” date above reflects the most recent revision.
11. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States of America. Any disputes shall be resolved in the appropriate federal or state courts having jurisdiction over the matter.
12. Contact
Questions regarding these Terms may be directed to [email protected].