Hamilton is a native of Amityville, New York, and graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology in May 1974. He was commissioned in the Navy in May 1974 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Candidate (NROTC). From April 1998 to February 2000, Hamilton served as Deputy for Fleet in the Program Executive Office Theater Surface Combatants (PEO TSC-F). In this position, he was responsible for Fleet Introduction and Lifetime Support of 120 surface combatants (DDG 51, CG 47, DDG 993, DD 963, FFG 7).