A320 FLC ASSIGNED OUTDATED STAR AFTER DELAY VECTORS.

Narrative

TFC SATURATION INTO DCA. ASSIGNED 180 DEG VECTOR FOR SPACING. ATC WOULD NOT ISSUE US EXPECT CLRNC OR STATE NATURE OF VECTOR. 10 MINS WITHOUT HOLDING OR CLRNC; THEN ISSUED CLRNC TO DCA WITH A STAR WHICH DID NOT EXIST; HEINTZ 5; THEN ISSUED OLD ARR -- IRONS 2 -- THEN IRONS 3; AND FINALLY ASSIGNED IRONS 4 AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT THE ARR ASSIGNED BY ATC WAS OUT OF DATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATED THAT THE CTR CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY WORKING UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS WITH A LIEN OF TSTMS TO THE NE CAUSING DELAYS AND RERTES INTO THE DCA AREA. AFTER RECEIVING VECTORS WITH NO EXPLANATION; THE RPTR ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE CTLR FOR AN EXPLANATION; BUT WAS UNABLE DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. THE CTLR EVENTUALLY CLRED THE FLT FOR A STAR ARR THAT WAS NON EXISTENT. AFTER SEVERAL DIFFERENT STAR ASSIGNMENTS; THE CTLR EVENTUALLY CLRED THE FLT FOR AN IRONS 4 ARR; WHICH WAS THE CURRENT STAR. THE RPTR DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY THE SIT AFTER HIS ARR; BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF CURRENCY EXHIBITED BY THE CTLR.