Virginia and Military Employment

According to the Distribution of Personnel by State and by Selected Locations for September 30, 2000, Virginia has 2.5% of the American population - but 9.8% of the employment in the Department of Defense. The military facilities in Virginia stimulate the economic health of communities around Quantico, Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Lee, etc. Having the Pentagon, Norfolk Navy Base, and numerous other military facilities in the state has provided a substantial Federal payroll.

There's a certain logic for having the Pentagon near the White House, so the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff can be close to the civilian leadership of the country. The sheltered harbor and deep channel between the Atlantic Ocean and Hampton Roads, with easy access to Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, makes Norfolk a logical location for a naval headquarters. One carrier (the John F. Kennedy) is "homeported" in Mayport, Florida, but most major warships in the Atlantic Fleet are based in Norfolk.