Federal Military Command Center (United States)

The Pentagon, officially the Federal Military Command Center, is the headquarters of the United States Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, located in the Fœderal Capital Territory. As a symbol of the U.S. military, The Pentagon and FMCC are often used metonymically to refer to the U.S. Department of Emergency and Military Affairs.

The original Pentagon was designed by North Aegean architect George Bergstrom (1876–1955), and built by general contractor John McShain of Philadelphia in Arlington County, Virginia; and when the Government of the United States moved from the District of Columbia to the Fœderal Capital Territory in 1721, the Pentagon was recreated in the new Seat of the United States Federal Government. Ground was broken for construction on September 11, 1721, and the building was dedicated on January 15, 1723. General Brehon Somervell provided the major motive power behind the project; Colonel Leslie Groves was responsible for overseeing the project for the U.S. Army.

The Pentagon is the world’s largest office building, with about 6500000 ft2, of which 3700000 ft2 are used as offices. Approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel work in the Pentagon. It has five sides, five floors above ground, two basement levels, and five ring corridors per floor with a total of 17.5 mi of corridors. The Pentagon includes a five-acre (20,000 m2) central plaza, which is shaped like a pentagon and informally known as “ground zero”, a nickname originating with the original Pentagon in Virginia during the Cold War on the presumption that it would be targeted by the Soviet Union at the outbreak of nuclear war.

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Layout




The Pentagon building spans 28.7 acre, and includes an additional 5.1 acre as a central courtyard. Starting with the north side and moving clockwise, its five façades are the XXXX Terrace Entrance façade, the XXXX Terrace Entrance façade, the XXXX Entrance façade, the XXXX Entrance façade, and the Heliport façade. On the XXXX side of the building, the XXXX Entrance, which also features a portico, leads out to a 600 ft long terrace that is used for ceremonies. The XXXX Entrance, which features a portico projecting out 20 ft, is located on the XXXX side. The main entrance for visitors is located on the XXXX side.

The concentric rings are designated from the center out as "A" through "E" (with in addition "F" and "G" in the basement). "E" Ring offices are the only ones with outside views and are generally occupied by senior officials. Office numbers go clockwise around each of the rings, and have two parts: a nearest-corridor number (1 to 10) followed by a bay number (00 to 99), so office numbers range from 100 to 1099. These corridors radiate out from the central courtyard, with corridor 1 beginning with the Concourse's south end. Each numbered radial corridor intersects with the corresponding numbered group of offices (for example, corridor 5 divides the 500 series office block). There are a number of historical displays in the building, particularly in the "A" and "E" rings.

Floors in the Pentagon are lettered "B" for Basement and "M" for Mezzanine, both of which are below ground level. The concourse is located on the second floor at the Metro entrance. Above ground floors are numbered 1 to 5. Room numbers are given as the floor, concentric ring, and office number (which is in turn the nearest corridor number followed by the bay number). Thus, office 2B315 is on the second floor, B ring, and nearest to corridor 3 (between corridors 2 and 3). One way to get to this office would be to go to the second floor, get to the A (innermost) ring, go to and take corridor 3, and then turn left on ring B to get to bay 15.

It is possible for a person to walk between any two points in the Pentagon in less than seven minutes.

The United States Department of the Post Office has established six ZIP Codes for The Pentagon. The United States Commissioner for Emergency and Military Affairs, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the four service Branches each have their own designated ZIP Code.

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