Riding the Metro: airmen living in Washington, D.C., have a unique transportation option

Airman, May, 2004 by Rick Burnham

Traffic grinds to a halt in the nation's capital, and thousands of commuters feel their blood boil, their tempers flare. It's a city low on patience and full of individuals with things to do, people to see and places to go. Most notably, it's a city whose traffic problems are legendary the world over.

But there's a better way.

As early as 1952, local officials and Congressional leaders quickly saw an emerging transportation problem. Their call for advanced plans to move people and goods in the region resulted in the National Capital Planning Act, which mandated preparation of those plans. As a result, half a century later, residents and visitors in the nation's capital have a safe and efficient way to get to work, to go to school, to see the sights and avoid the daily road rage that ensues "inside the Beltway."

Underneath it all, underneath the hustle and hustle, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority--the Metro--provides a steady source of transportation not only for the politicians who characterize this city the best, hut also for a wide range of fellow commuters, representing virtually every age group, religions conviction, culture and occupation known to man. Typically, that includes Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen on their way to work in any number of different Defense Department locations in the area--including Boiling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and the Pentagon.

Consisting of more than 100 miles of track and 83 stations around the region, the Metro subway system has delivered billions of people to their destinations over the years, employing a fleet of 842 rail cars on five lines that not only dissect the District of Columbia, but also venture well into Virginia and Maryland In addition, a fleet of more than 1,400 buses bear the Metro banner, running 344 routes in and around the region.

Five miles north and 50 feet underground from Boiling, the Anacostia Metro Station gives Airmen on their way to the Pentagon a quick-and-easy solution to the commute. Other stations provide options for driving to work from Springfield, Va., and Waldorf, Md., two communities many bluesuiters call home. The fact is, regardless of where they live, Airmen who hang their hats in Washington, D.C., often find the Metro to be their best friend. For many though, there's a culture shock to get over first.

With nearly a million people a day, 365 days a year, jostling for positions, it's a bustling atmosphere, hard on hesitation, impatient with indecision. When a train pulls up and the doors open, you move, or someone moves you. First time riders can be easily identified by their short, jerky movements and bug-eyed expressions. Stories abound with things seen and heard on the Metro.

Tech. Sgt. Desriann Stevens, administrative assistant to the chief master sergeant of the Air Force, laughed at the thought of some of the clothing styles she's seen on the trains, but immediately spoke of the singing Asian guy on the "Green Line" she takes each morning from Branch Avenue in Maryland, as among the more strange.

"He sings hymns--he'll have a hymnal open in his hands," said the New York native. "It bothers a lot of people, especially early in the morning. Some complain, but I guess it takes a lot more to bother me. I really don't mind it; besides, he sings pretty well."

The sergeant is especially fond of her daily trip over the Potomac River, a five-minute stretch on the "Yellow Line" from L'enfant Plaza in the middle of the city to the Pentagon. As one of the few segments of the 103-mile system that goes above the river, the ride offers not only an up-close look at the Potomac, but a stunning view of the city's skyline, including the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial, as well.

That view is a popular one for many Metro customers, including Senior Master Sgt. Eddie Frison, superintendent of executive services for the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition.

"It's a great part of the trip," he said. "I've been making the commute on the Metro for almost three years now, and it is something that I never get tired of."

The same can't be said for driving to work, he added, noting that Washington's notoriety for nightmare traffic is well-earned.

"I drove the first six months I was here, and it is just crazy," he said, "By the time I got to work, I was very tired, because when you drive in D.C., you have to be a defensive driver, always. Metro is much better, definitely the way to go."

Like Sergeant Stevens, he takes the "Green Line" into the city each day from Branch Avenue, changing to the "Yellow Line" before heading to the Pentagon.

For Tech. Sgt. Russell Petcoff, however, the daily commute is a straight shot, a simple ride on the "Blue Line" front Springfield to the Pentagon. The noncommissioned officer in charge of reformation products for the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he said the pros of the subway system far outweigh the cons.

"It definitely makes it a lot easier to come to work because you don't have to deal with the traffic," he said. "I usually just bring a book, grab a seat and read the entire trip."