Read this on Carla Emery's website. Now I'm curious. Anybody out there know about this?

"Most mysterious new industry - The Defense Mapping Agency is scheduled to move into a large facility being constructed just south of St. Louis, Missouri. First announced plans were for 50,000 employees. Nobody seemed to know exactly what they will do, or what higher government department this Agency works under." http://www.carlaemery.com/Records.htm

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), July 14, 1999

Answers

50,000 employees? This is too bizarre.

Mike =====================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), July 14, 1999.

The defense mapping agency is a new name for the old Army map service, now located in montgomery county maryland just outlide washington d.c.

As their name says, they make maps for the army and other defense agencies. I was unaware that they are moving to St.Louis. 5000 emplayees seems more likely correct that 50000. Maybe a typo.

-- dave (wootendave@hotmail.com), July 14, 1999.

DMA puts out very good, accurate (military) maps and charts for almost everywhere in the world.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), July 14, 1999.

DMA? They're just up the street from Fannie Mae in Washington DC but they changed their name to NIMA about 2 years ago. NIMA means something like National I????? Mapping Agency. They report to the Pentagon, like the Defense Logistics Agency. I hadn't heard that they were moving. I don't think they're as big as 50,000. Might be more like 5,000.

-- cory (kiyoinc@ibm.XOUT.net), July 14, 1999.

Since I live in St. Louis I think I can explain what has happened with the former Defense Mapping Agency now known as NIMA (National Imagery and Mapping Agency).

When the Great Flood of '93 hit St. Louis, the Defense Mapping building was in a very vulnerable position just a few hundred yards from the Mississippi River. There was much optimism that the flood wall would hold but unfortunately it didn't. Many hundreds of invaluable, historical records were lost. Employees were tranferred to the other mapping center near downtown St. Louis.

The new building south of St. Louis is a replacement for the ones lost in the flood. According to my neighbor who is a retired employee of the mapping center, there is no way there is even 5000 employees there. Much downsizing has occurred at the agency and unless something very covert is happening, there is probably well under 1000 employees there. Mary

-- Mary (SWEEP6@prodigy.net), July 14, 1999.

IS this the agency responsible for the embassy maps in downtown Belgrade??

-- trollayanna (dod@ready.for.y2k?), July 14, 1999.

Mumsie, now all is clear and I owe you an apology. They must have hired an additional 45,000 employees to map all of the 'detention/concentration centers/camps' that are going up everywhere. How could I have missed that?

-- For (your@info.com), July 14, 1999.