# Mindless trivia about the Pentagon Military Reservation in DC **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2018, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395 "2018-08-28T05:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/41 "2018-08-29T20:16:26Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > If no photo was available how could you know what they looked like? Because I knew some of the winners who didn’t have their photo posted? ---
**Author:** ![Reindeer\_Flotilla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reindeer_flotilla/32/3024_2.png) [@Reindeer\_Flotilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reindeer_Flotilla)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/42 "2018-08-29T20:38:10Z")
If you approach the Pentagon from a distance and can see three of its sides, then someone approaching from the exact opposite direction can only see two. And vice-versa. Wikipedia lists it as the largest office building in the world by both total area and office space area. And apparently it’s in some kind of commonwealth, not in a district. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/43 "2018-08-29T21:12:50Z")
It’s on the Virginia side of the river but has a DC zip code. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/44 "2018-08-29T21:23:43Z")
Sorry, [zip codes](https://web.archive.org/web/20140819090256/https://pentagontours.osd.mil/facts-zip.jsp). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/45 "2018-08-29T22:01:51Z")
> [@Reindeer\_Flotilla](#): > > If you approach the Pentagon from a distance and can see three of its sides, then someone approaching from the exact opposite direction can only see two. And vice-versa. > > Wikipedia lists it as the largest office building in the world by both total area and office space area. > > And apparently it’s in some kind of commonwealth, not in a district. I think it is the Commonwealth of the District of Columbia. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/46 "2018-08-30T00:57:38Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I thought FDR ordered the “Whites Only” signs removed and there were twice as many bathrooms as needed. It was Truman who desegregated the US military, not FDR. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/47 "2018-08-30T02:26:59Z")
When I see anyone from Virginia who can parallel park, I’ll consider calling them Washingtonians. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/48 "2018-08-30T04:55:49Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Because I knew some of the winners who didn’t have their photo posted? A small fraction of the “Airman of the year” have ever been women. A smaller fraction of that have, for whatever reason, had no picture available. You claim to personally know more than one of this small percent of a small percent of a tiny population? ---
**Author:** ![Mumberthax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mumberthax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mumberthax)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/49 "2018-08-30T04:56:01Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Maybe all the women in the military are hot. Oh, yeah…there’s just something about a woman in uniform. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/50 "2018-08-30T04:59:23Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Because I knew some of the winners who didn’t have their photo posted? A small fraction of the “Airman of the year” have ever been women. A smaller fraction of that have, for whatever reason, had no picture available. You claim to personally know more than one of this small percent of a small percent of a tiny population? And you said you only worked there 8 years? How many Airman of the Year were women in that 8 years? How many did not have their photo available? And you knew more than one of them? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/51 "2018-08-30T12:55:40Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > It was Truman who desegregated the US military, not FDR. Yet FDR made the [Pentagon integrated.](https://theuijunkie.com/pentagon-toilets/) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/52 "2018-08-30T13:46:06Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > There are 26,000 employees and only 284 bathrooms. It’s bad y’all. I would have thought there’d be more than one toilet or urinal per bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/53 "2018-08-30T15:49:03Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > When I see anyone from Virginia who can parallel park Taught myself by looking at pictures on the 'net. Dad _tried_ when I was 16 but I needed the visuals. Taught myself because I knew I’d be parking on the street in Crystal City early one morning. Haven’t needed the skill since. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/54 "2018-08-30T19:32:32Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Yet FDR made the [Pentagon integrated.](https://theuijunkie.com/pentagon-toilets/) Pentegrated. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/55 "2018-08-30T19:57:58Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Pentegrated. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/56 "2018-08-30T22:43:30Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Yet FDR made the [Pentagon integrated.](https://theuijunkie.com/pentagon-toilets/) Thank you, I never knew that. Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/57 "2018-08-30T22:54:04Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Thank you, I never knew that. > > Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk You are very welcome. I stumbled onto that in the Wikipedia article on the Pentagon, despite the biographies of FDR that I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/58 "2018-08-31T02:55:03Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Are you serious with these? > . . . > This is not true. There is a clinic and dental office on-site. That give out prescriptions. Even of controlled substances. > > Not true. A waiver can be granted to legally bring in alcohol for parties and such. > > Not true. They completed renovated the entire building. It’s quite nice to work in now. > > During the period I worked there, all classified documents were carried down in burn bags to the loading dock, and loaded into a truck who took them away for destruction. Nothing was incinerated on site. Cheers, Mans, I’m not doubting your experience, it’s a big place. But nobody I know would take a job working there full time. [Incinerator](https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2017/budget_justification/pdfs/06_Defense_Working_Capital_Fund/Revolving_Funds_FY2017_PB.pdf) see p.5 Real Property Operations Re: alcohol and controlled substances I gave you a link to the Title and code, so I’m not sure what else to show you. What some COs allow or disallow within their own offices notwithstanding, the code is clear, and I have seen it upheld to the point that an asthmatic had to wait for an ambulance rather than be treated by a passing military doctor. It does also allow for waivers to be granted, and I’ve no doubt that a few specific military personnel have the right to treat people there, but for the overall population, the rules are extremely strict and are strictly enforced. As for the facilities, a lot depends upon where you work. My experience there was 20 years ago, and I didn’t work there full time. But the stapler was from WWII, and the chair seats all had holes in them. And if you are denying the presence of mice and vermin then you must have worked for the Joint Chiefs or something. > [@madmonk28](#): > > When I see anyone from Virginia who can parallel park, I’ll consider calling them Washingtonians. I am a Virginian and a parking ninja. Ask anybody who knows me! ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/59 "2018-08-31T13:06:25Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > As for the facilities, a lot depends upon where you work. My experience there was 20 years ago, and I didn’t work there full time. But the stapler was from WWII, and the chair seats all had holes in them. And if you are denying the presence of mice and vermin then you must have worked for the Joint Chiefs or something. Did you miss the part where they completely renovated the entire structure recently? One wedge they renovated twice, due to it being destroyed by a large plane crashing into it. It’s a fairly nice place to work, enhanced by a Metro station right next to it. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395/60 "2018-09-01T18:23:02Z")
Lieutenant General Groves the man in charge of the Manhattan Project also oversaw the construction of the Pentagon. Supposedly it’s pentagon shaped to best fit the area of land it’s in. There’s a demon trapped in the courtyard.😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mindless-trivia-about-the-pentagon-military-reservation-in-dc/820395.md?page=4)