District of Columbia
The District of Columbia, the capital of the United States, is commonly called Washington, DC. The District of Columbia is located on the north bank Potomac River with Virginia to the southwest and Maryland on every other side. The District encompasses 68.3 square miles and was home to an estimated 599,657 residents in 2009, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Densely populated Washington, D.C. has 9,378 persons per square mile, as opposed to the national average of 79. The workday population tends to double the number of people in the city.Washington, D.C. is a fast-paced metropolis. All three branches of the federal government -- the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch -- are located in the District of Columbia, as are foreign embassies, the World Bank, the White House, and headquarters of numerous other institutions. Many of the nation's most prestigious monuments are also located in the District of Columbia including the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the National Mall.
More than one-quarter of the District of Columbia's residents work for the federal government. Other major employers include hospitals and the numerous law firms, lobbying firms and other related businesses.
Three major airports serve the Washington, DC, area: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Amtrak operates a number of trains out of the District of Columbia area. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority operates DC's rapid transit system. The District of Columbia is infamous for having an exceptionally high volume of vehicular traffic on the roadways.
There are six active military bases in Washington, D.C. and one Air Force Base, Bolling Air Force Base, which is located about six miles south of Washington, DC., between the Potomac River and I-295. There are two Army Posts: Fort McNair and the Walter Reed Medical Center. The Marine Barracks has been the residence of every Commandant of the Marine Corps since 1806. The Marine Barracks is also home to the United States Marine Band, Drum and Bugle Corps, Silent Drill Platoon and Color Guard. The Washington Navy Yard, headquarters of the Naval District Washington, and the United States Naval Observatory are also located in the District of Columbia.
The Department of Veteran Affairs State Summary lists the number of veterans in the District of Columbia as 39,000 in 2008. Also in 2008, 6,562 veterans received inpatient care in VA health care facilities, and 3,973 District of Columbia veterans received post-conflict care from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan at the Washington Veterans Readjustment Counseling Centers. The VA has special programs for those returning from service in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF).
Not all military service-related issues end when people are discharged from active duty; 4,214 District of Columbia veterans are receiving monthly disability compensation. Nationwide, about 43 percent of the total number of men and women leaving military service from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have sought VA health care since returning stateside.
