David Hamilton

US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual, 2004

DAVID HAMILTON

David Hamilton, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Deputy Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In this position, he is responsible for policy, resources and oversight of developmental and operational testing, and is a focal point for foreign materiel acquisition and exploitation.

Mr. Hamilton served in the Air Force from June 1969 until he retired in the rank of colonel in 1999. While on active duty as a career fighter pilot, he accrued more than 500 combat hours, including 50 missions over North Vietnam in the F-4. He has flown all models of the F-16, including the F-16CJ, and has amassed more than 1,600 hours in operational and test flying activities. He has held several key operational positions to include squadron and test group commander. Mr. Hamilton has served on the Air Staff in both operations and in research and development, and as a force programmer at Air Combat Command.

Mr. Hamilton was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in February 1999. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as commander of Detachment 2, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

EDUCATION

1969 Bachelor of science degree in Far East studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

1983 Distinguished graduate, master's degree in military arts and sciences, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

1991 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2000 John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. August 1971-August 1972, aircraft commander, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand

2. August 1972-October 1975, instructor pilot, 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Homestead AFB, Fla.

3. November 1975-November 1978, OV-10 flight commander and wing weapons officer, 601 Tactical Control Wing, Sembach AB, West Germany

4. November 1978-June 1982, F-4 instructor pilot, 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later, initial cadre instructor, 56th Fighter Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.

5. July 1982-August 1983, graduate student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

6. August 1983-August 1986, Air Staff operations officer, fighter operations, weapons tactics and training, and tactical modernization in research and development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

7. August 1986-April 1989, Commander, 14th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan

8. May 1989-August 1990, squadron chief of fighter programming, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.

9. August 1990-July 1991, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

10. July 1991-April 1992, Deputy Commander for Operations, 4443rd Test and Evaluation Group, U.S. Air Force Air Warfare Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.

11. April 1992-July 1992, Operations Group Commander, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

12. August 1992-November 1994, Commander, 79th Test and Evaluation Group, U.S. Air Force Air Warfare Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.

13. November 1994-July 1996, Vice Commander 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.

14. July 1996-December 1997, Director of Plans and Programs, Aeronautical Systems Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.

15. December 1997-February 1999, Commander, Detachment 2, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.

16. February 1999-present, Deputy Director of Test and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command pilot

Flight hours: More than 4,000

Aircraft flown: F-4, OV-10 and F-16

AWARDS AND HONORS

Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with 19 oak leaf clusters

(Current as of February 2000)