A native of Washington, D.C. where he was born on September 4, 1935, Hines earned a Bachelor's degree from Howard University. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Army, where he served for more than 38 years, attaining the rank of major general. When Hines took command of Fort McClellan in July 1989, he became the first black commander of a military installation in the South. In 1991, Governor Guy Hunt awarded Hines the Alabama Distinguished Service Medal for his contributions to the Alabama National Guard at Fort McClellan. When Hines retired in 1994, he returned to his hometown to serve as Director of Health and Security at the Smithsonian Institution.