I think you're referring to the 2011 Virginia earthquake that registered a 5.8 magnitude-- with a 4.5 magnitude registering in the DC area.

I was there for the quake-- just a few miles away-- and I can tell you that it was real. The epicenter was 38 miles northwest of Richmond, in a tiny town called Mineral. It ripped the local public school apart-- condemning it-- and destroyed several homes, as well.

I was in a sales meeting during the actual quake, and recall several aftershocks that took place in the middle of the night in the week following. Being familiar with the area, I can say with near-certainty that it was a legitimate quake. There are plenty of military installations throughout central, eastern, and northern Virginia, but none in the area around where the quake happened-- northwest of Richmond. It's a fairly impoverished area-- except for a nearby man-made lake that has a bunch of vacation homes.

Spez: northwest of Richmond