Yep MDRs are a pain in the neck! I filed a MDR to the DOD back in early February last year, only this month have they responded to my request, they have just began to process it, they have to request the document from STRATCOM to review a few paragraphs to be released.

You have to have very specific details of the document you wish to have reviewed to such a degree so they can access their filing system and databases to extract the file in question or ask the appropriate agency to review it. It begs the question how in the hell is the average individual be able to identify internal documents who's filing designation is specific to that agency, sub component or unit, which is constantly changing?

The USAF did used a phase in the 1990s through the FOIA office it was "a needle in a haystack" or more than likely a room stacked floor to ceiling and there are countless rooms full of classified documents. Databases, and computer systems who's storage facilities are terabytes and beyond stacked with documents and memos, who's numbers are countless and vast and multitude throughout the known intelligence agencies within the intelligence community, let alone those agencies or offices that are classifiable within the system itself. Also lets not forget the so name defence contractors how much information is store on their systems, how many systems are there? Who has access to those systems? How many are stand alone system only accessible by a physical presence?