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Suspended Four-Star General Charles Hamilton Appeals for Return to Command

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Four-Star General Charles Hamilton, who previously led the Army Materiel Command and was responsible for much of the Army’s logistics operations, has requested reinstatement in a letter to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth. In his letter, written on Friday, Hamilton stated that he intervened in the Army’s Command Assessment Program (CAP) selection process last fall because he believed the process was biased against a Black subordinate officer.

General Hamilton was suspended earlier this year following a Military.com investigation that revealed his attempts to influence the promotion of a subordinate officer.

In his letter, Hamilton expressed his desire to return to his command, saying, “I respectfully ask that you allow me to resume command and continue leading our soldiers and civilians in one of the Army’s most important and impactful commands. I have been brutally honest about my concerns with the Command Assessment Program’s disparate impact on Black officers.”

Army Secretary Wormuth has declined to comment on the matter.

The future of General Hamilton’s career is uncertain as the Army’s investigation into his conduct is still ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be presented to Secretary Wormuth, who will decide Hamilton’s fate. The possible outcomes include reinstating Hamilton to his command, reducing his rank and assigning him to another position, or separating him from service altogether.

If Hamilton is separated from the Army, he may lose his current rank and revert to the last rank he held honorably, potentially as a three-star general. While this would be a significant setback, Hamilton would likely still receive substantial retirement and veteran benefits. He may also be given the option to voluntarily resign.

Deciding whether to dismiss a four-star general is a critical and rare decision for an Army secretary, as such actions are typically reserved for the President or Secretary of Defense. Moreover, the termination of a Black general officer, given their historical underrepresentation in the Pentagon’s senior ranks, is particularly uncommon. Although there has been progress in recent years, Hamilton’s suspension reduced the number of Black four-star generals in the Army from three to two, with a white officer currently filling his role in an acting capacity.

The Defense Department’s Inspector General has been investigating Hamilton’s conduct for the past five months, and the inquiry is nearing its conclusion. Sources familiar with the investigation have indicated that it is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.

Investigations into the conduct of general officers are typically lengthy, involving numerous interviews and extensive document reviews, and Hamilton’s case is no exception.

General Hamilton began his military career by enlisting in the U.S. Army in his hometown of Houston, Texas. After completing basic and individual training, he was assigned to Fort Hood (renamed Fort Cavazos in 2023), Texas. He later attended Officer Candidate School, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps and was named a Distinguished Military Graduate. Hamilton holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Virginia State University and two Master’s degrees—one in Public Administration from Central Michigan University and another in Military Studies from Marine Corps University. He also completed a Senior Service College Fellowship through the Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program.

Throughout his distinguished career, General Hamilton has held numerous high-profile positions, including Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 for the U.S. Army; Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4; Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, G-3 for the Army Materiel Command (AMC); and Commander of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command. He also served as the Chief Logistics Officer for U.S. Forces Korea and Commander of Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Additionally, he worked as the Executive Officer to the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics at the Pentagon, an Assignment Officer in the Logistics Branch in the Office of the Army Chief of Staff, and as the Executive Officer to the Vice Director of the Defense Logistics Agency.

Hamilton has commanded operations in Afghanistan on three separate occasions in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. These assignments include serving as the Commander of the Defense Logistics Agency Contingency Support Team Afghanistan in 2004, the Commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Support South/Southwest from 2010-2011, and the Commander of the 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, from 2013-2014.

His numerous awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, two Defense Superior Service Medals, four Legions of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, nine Meritorious Service Medals, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, three Army Commendation Medals, and more. Hamilton has also earned the Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, Parachute Rigger Badge, Air Assault Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

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