Ogc And Varo On Foia Requests

[vern2]

I requested a via FOIA letter to St. Petersburg VARO for an updated copy of my c-file- to include information that was omitted in original response and to include all of 2013 documentation that I had submitted. This request was on June 30, 2014. Never got a response so sent a nother letter to VARO and got letter (form type) from a Jennifer Haldor at VARO, telling me that usual backlog, etc. and that they would respond. Never did, so sent a letter to OGC in September 2014 and got letter telling me that they would contact St. Petersburg VARO, again never heard from them. Finally I called the OGC this am and discovered that a Deborah McCallum, that I had been corrosponding with no longer worked with the OGC. the person did tell me that they had sent another letter to VARO today and that this was all they could do. HUH! Does not Federal law require the agency to respond within 20 business days with an answer to the request or reason why they can not or will not comply?

BTW: the phone numbers for OGC are:

1. main number (front desk) 202-273-6660

2. OGC offices 202-461-7684

The only other recourse I have is to hire an attorney and file a writ of mandamus in my local Federal district court. This would be expensive and VA knows this so they continue to DENY, DENY and HOPE I DIE.

Any suggestions

Vern2

[NavyWife]

Another option is email the Undersecretary or the Secretary. That is what I did after the OGC failed to help me and the RO ignored me. Showed up 3 days later.