Welcome to the BIG
Pentagon Chapter
of Blacks In Government® Website
Our chapter is named after the Pentagon,
Headquarters of the Department of Defense and one of
the world's largest office buildings. It is twice the
size of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, and has three
times the floor space of the Empire State Building in
New York. The National Capitol could fit into any one
of the five wedge-shaped sections. There are very few
people throughout the United States who do not have
some knowledge of the Pentagon. Many have followed news
stories emanating from the defense establishment housed
in this building.
The Pentagon is virtually a city in itself. Approximately
23,000 employees, both military and civilian, contribute
to the planning and execution of the defense of our
country. These people arrive daily from Washington,
D.C. and its suburbs over approximately 30 miles of
access highways, including express bus lanes and one
of the newest subway systems in our country. They ride
past 200 acres of lawn to park approximately 8,770 cars
in 16 parking lots; climb 131 stairways or ride 19 escalators
to reach offices that occupy 3,705,793 square feet.
While in the building, they tell time by 4,200 clocks,
drink from 691 water fountains, utilize 284 rest rooms,
consume 4,500 cups of coffee, 1,700 pints of milk and
6,800 soft drinks prepared or served by a restaurant
staff of 230 persons and dispensed in 1 dining room,
2 cafeterias, 6 snack bars, and an outdoor snack bar.
The restaurant service is a privately run civilian operation
under contract to the Pentagon.
The BIG Pentagon Chapter functions as an employee support
group, an advocacy group and resource group for Black
Civil Servants at the federal, state and local level.
The organization functions as a nonprofit, nonpartisan
group. BIG's goals are to:
