[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3337]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING REAR ADMIRAL CHARLES HAMILTON

  Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I rise today to recognize Rear Admiral 
Charles ``Charlie'' S. Hamilton, upon the completion of his current 
tour of duty as the Program Executive Officer, Ships, PEO Ships. Since 
assuming the position nearly 4 years ago, Rear Admiral Hamilton has 
worked with Congress on numerous issues of vital importance to our Navy 
and our Nation. His successes and accomplishments have been significant 
and many. Rear Admiral Hamilton has earned my deep respect and that of 
my colleagues through his exceptional competence, integrity, and innate 
ability to cut through bureaucracy in order to get the job done. Today, 
it is my pleasure to recognize some of Rear Admiral Hamilton's many 
accomplishments, and commend his service to the Navy, the Congress, and 
our grateful Nation.
  Rear Admiral Hamilton was born in Amityville, NY. He entered military 
service in 1974 as an ensign after receiving a bachelor of science 
degree in Zoology from Duke University where he was a member of the 
Navy ROTC program. He continued his education at the Naval Post 
Graduate School, where he earned a master of arts degree in national 
security affairs, and at the National War College, where he earned a 
master of science degree in national security strategy. He is also a 
graduate of the Defense Systems Management College, and a designated 
surface warfare officer and joint specialty officer.
  Rear Admiral Hamilton served in a variety of assignments at sea, 
where he consistently excelled as a leader of the highest caliber. His 
positions included combat information center officer aboard USS 
Hawkins, DD 873, mission fire control officer aboard USS Coontz, DDG 
40, and operations officer aboard USS Callaghan, DDG 994. In September 
1986, he became the executive officer aboard USS Fox, CG 33, where his 
leadership played a key role in the success of Operation Earnest Will, 
ensuring the safe passage of tankers and merchant vessels during the 
fiercest days of the Iran-Iraq conflict. In February 1991, he assumed 
command of USS O'Brien, DD 975, where he was hailed by his subordinates 
and superiors for his extraordinary leadership.
  Rear Admiral Hamilton has also excelled in a variety of key staff 
positions, where he helped define and execute key elements of our 
national security strategy. These assignments included serving as the 
arsenal ship program manager; head of the Fleet Introduction and 
Lifetime Support Directorate, program executive officer for Theater 
Surface Combatants; two tours with the Office of the Chief of Naval 
Operations as Anti-Submarine Warfare Program analyst, OP-91, and Head 
of the AEGIS Destroyer Section, OP-355. He also served in the Office of 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology as 
military staff specialist for naval warfare.
  On May 15, 2003, Rear Admiral Hamilton assumed command of PEO Ships, 
then a newly established organization responsible for acquisition and 
support of the Navy's entire nonnuclear surface fleet, including boats 
and craft, special mission ships, and foreign military sales. In this 
capacity, he skillfully planned and executed current and future 
shipbuilding programs that will carry our surface Navy well into the 
21st century.
  During his tenure, 16 major surface ships were delivered to the U.S. 
Navy and 300 boats and craft were delivered to U.S. and foreign navies. 
To place that in perspective, it is my understanding that Rear Admiral 
Hamilton successfully shepherded the design and construction of more 
types of new ships than has ever been accomplished under a single flag 
officer since the passage of the Naval Act of 1794. These new classes 
of surface ships included San Antonio, LPD 17, Lewis and Clark, T-AKE 
1, Makin Island LHD 8; Freedom, LCS 1, and Zumwalt, DDG 1000, classes 
of ships.
  In addition, he tirelessly strove to facilitate the realistic 
consideration of next-generation architectures as well as ship concepts 
such as maritime prepositioning force future, MPFF, Mobile Landing 
Platform, MLP, and joint high speed vessel, JHSV. Rear Admiral 
Hamilton's extraordinary legacy of service will be clearly reflected 
not only in the improved warfighting capability of this Nation, but 
also in the safety, readiness, and quality of life of our sailors and 
marines.
  On the eve of Rear Admiral Hamilton's change of command ceremony, I 
offer my congratulations to him, his wife Debbie and his children Chip, 
Mike, and Christina. Rear Admiral Hamilton will be greatly missed, and 
I know I speak for all my colleagues in expressing our heartfelt 
appreciation to him. He is a man of extraordinary honor, courage, and 
commitment, who always shot straight regardless of risk or possible 
peril. He is a credit to both the Navy and the United States of 
America. We wish our friend the best of luck in future endeavors, and 
congratulate him on the successful completion of an unprecedented tour 
of duty.

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