Trying to understand FOIA and Privacy Act when requesting C-File

[shaneinthefalls]

Hi all,

On July 2, I formally submitted a FOIA request for my C-File. I waited 20 business days, then submitted a FOIA appeal. Still nothing. Today I emailed to find out what is taking so long and I received the below message. What in the world is this abou

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Shane

 

Your request is not under the 20 business day timeframe because it is a Privacy request.  For information concerning the status of your request please contact:

Department of Veterans Affairs

Centralized Support Division

Attn: Marvis Harvey

9700 Page Avenue

St. Louis, MO  63132

Email:  CSD.VBARMC@va.gov

Customer Service No.:  1-888-533-4558

National Call Center:  1-800-827-1000

Fax:  314-253-4193

 

v/r,

 

Jacqueline (Jackie) Short

VACO FOIA Service       

Quality, Performance, and Risk (QPR)

Office of Information and Technology (OI&T)

Office: (202) 680-2004 / Fax: (202) 632-7581

vacofoiaservice@va.gov

FOIA Service Hotline: 1-877-750-3642

[blahsaysme2u]

good luck buddy. i have been waiting on mine almost a year an half now.

[GBArmy]

Blahsaysme2u No promises but go to va.gov and submit a IRIS question on why the delay. It is under the "contact" header at the top. If you have been waiting a year and a half, maybe it will shake loose. Can't hurt by asking.

[blahsaysme2u]

6 minutes ago, GBArmy said:

Blahsaysme2u No promises but go to va.gov and submit a IRIS question on why the delay. It is under the "contact" header at the top. If you have been waiting a year and a half, maybe it will shake loose. Can't hurt by asking.

i have done that 3x now. i keep getting the same answer....we are working on it. i also contacted my congressman and he got a letter from the va he forwarded to me that said we are working on this and dont know why the veteran contacted you. its such BS

[deedub75]

This is clearly a delay tactic the VA is using now. They have made it very, very difficult to get copies of contractor C&P exams and now they even make us wait 30 before the C&P exams done at the VAMC. Also, removing the 48 hours the VSOs had to review claims decisions is another example. The VA will say that this helps speed up the claims process but at what costs?

Without access to our c-files and exams, it makes it very difficult to fight for what we are due. 

It didn't used to be this way, but it's by design now. 

I submitted a request for copies of exams a few months ago and haven't heard a thing. 

[rightstrivinsissy]

My lawyer requested my c file October 2019 and received it September 2020. Definitely a long process.

[blahsaysme2u]

just called the WH hotline. gave them all the information. said they will look into this. someone will contact me to resolve this. 

WE WILL SEE WONT WE. ill update if i get a response