Colonel Mark L. Hamilton is the Deputy Commander of Operations, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. In this role, he is responsible for employing 78 manned and remotely piloted fixed-wing aircraft, including the AC-130J, MC-130J, MQ-9, PC-12, and U-28A, while also serving as the primary operations advisor to the Wing Commander. The 1 SOW serves eight special operations squadrons with over 1,300 Air Commandos from 80 different Air Force Specialty Codes. Col Hamilton is responsible for providing world-wide deployable, full-spectrum specialized airpower to combatant commanders executing special operations missions, including direct action, high-value targeting, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, personnel recovery, and psychological operations. Col Hamilton is a career AFSOC aviator.
Col Hamilton received his commission through the ROTC program at the Virginia Military Institute in 2004. Upon graduation, he earned his wings at Fort Novosel, Alabama. Col Hamilton is a Command Pilot with over 2,200 hours in the MH-53M and the CV-22B with extensive deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, ODYSSEY DAWN, INHERENT RESOLVE, and OCTAVE QUARTZ. Prior to his current position, Col Hamilton was the Chief of Staff to the Vice Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Arts, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia
2016 Masters of Military Operational Arts and Science, Air University, Alabama
2017 Masters of Philosophy in Military Strategy, SAASS, Air University, Alabama
2022 National Defense Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
June 2004 – January 2005, Assistant Detachment Recruiting Officer, Detachment 880, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia
January 2005 – July 2005, T-37 Student Pilot, 33rd Flight Training Squadron, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
August 2005 – May 2006, UH-1H Student Pilot, 23rd Flight Training Squadron, Fort Novosel, Ala.
May 2006 – March 2007, MH-53J Initial Qualification Course, 551st Special Operations Squadron Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
March 2007 – October 2008, MH-53M Aircraft Commander and Mobility Officer, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
October 2008 – January 2010, CV-22B Initial Qualification Course, 71st Special Operations Squadron Kirtland AFB, N.M.
January 2010 – March 2013, CV-22B Instructor Pilot, Chief of Mobility, Chief of Safety and Flight Commander, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
March 2013 – July 2015, CV-22B Chief Flight Examiner, Combat Operations Flight Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, 7th Special Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
July 2015 – June 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
July 2016 – July 2017, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
July 2017 – August 2017, Chief, 27th Special Operations Group Standardization and Evaluations, Cannon AFB, N.M.
August 2017 – January 2018, Commander, 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
January 2018 – June 2018, Commander, 20th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Joint Special Operations Air Component – Central, OIR
June 2018 – June 2019, Operations Officer, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
January 2019 – May2019, Commander, 20th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, JSOAC-C, OIR
June 2019 – June 2021, Commander, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M. (December 2020 – January 2021, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Detachment, OCTAVE QUARTZ)
July 2021 – June 2022, National Defense Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
June 2022 – May 2024, Special Assistant to the Vice Commander then Chief of Staff to the Vice Commander, USSOCOM, Washington, D.C.
June 2024 – Current, Deputy Commander of Operations, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2022 – May 2024, Special Assistant to the Vice Commander then Chief of Staff to the Vice Commander, SOCOM, Washington, D.C., as a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2,200 Combat hours: 400
Aircraft flown: T-37, UH-1H, MH-53J/M, CV-22B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with Valor and five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 2004
First Lieutenant Jun 2006
Captain Jun 2008
Major Oct 2014
Lieutenant Colonel Nov 2017
Colonel Apr 2023
(Current as of June 2024)