MAJ Jim Moore - Commander

REFLECTIONS ON 1SG HAMILTON

1SG Ray Hamilton was…well…”one of a kind”. Rude, crude, socially unacceptable, there was not an ounce of couth in him. Well…perhaps a half ounce…but only when absolutely necessary. He smoked like a fiend, could make a drunken sailor blush, all while doing the work of ten men. You may not have wanted him around polite society, but then those folks are rarely found where he was needed most.

Then there was his infamous…barely operating…pickup, the back of which was surely the breeding ground of new and gnarly, ever evolving, life forms. He was never in any danger of a vehicle inspection at a gate or checkpoint, for no guard would want the risk of turning his post into a HAZMAT site!

He suffered no fool gladly, And his voice, something akin to two gravel piles in a wrestling match, could be gruff and curt to the point of disrespect…and sometimes beyond it. But few cared more for their unit, or had a bigger heart. And where that heart opened most was to “his” troops.

Born 04 FEB 1933, he had already served his country well, both in the Navy (1952-1956) and the Army Guard (1976-1983) when fate chose to guide him our way. He joined the SDF in 1998, and rose steadily to the rank of 1SG, serving with 2BN before holding various posts at 1BDE HQ.

There were few missions that were without his presence…or his coffee, donuts, and other assorted snacks, much of which was financed from his not so ample pockets. Few soldiers could complain of hunger or thirst when he was around.

The troops, especially the “young” ones (whatever their age) received his attention in other ways. Uniforms, haircuts, salutes…all things pertaining to soldiering…caught his eye. He was a walking encyclopedia of customs and courtesies, and worked tirelessly to ensure that all soldiers “did it right.” An “old school” NCO, his passion was to see that all of us, no matter the rank, were at our best.

There is an overused and by now somewhat trite quote that has been applied to many men, not all of them deserving of it. 1SG Hamilton however reflects it to its fullest. “He was a man, take him for all in all. I shall not look upon his like again.”

Soldier on, 1SG, you will be missed!

PFC Litts - Supply and Logistics

I remember the first day of IET like it was yesterday. We all piled in, signed in, and stored our gear. As we were waiting for instructions, I saw this very thin white haired gentleman coming down the hall. I did not notice his rank, so I snapped to attention. It was 1SG Hamilton. He gave me this look and said in his voice (which is unique to him) "Don't snap to, I work for a living! Come to parade rest", but then he shook my hand and talked to me for a little while. He asked the usual questions of why I joined, and all that good stuff, and said that he was here if anyone ever needed him.

Land Navigation was my hardest task. I am visually impaired and read with a magnifying glass, and thought I would have trouble with the map work. I felt self-conscious about reading with a magnifying glass in front of the other troops. So, I chatted with 1SG Hamilton. He looked me straight in the eye and said to do whatever I had to, and that if anyone said anything about it in a negative way, I should strongly tell them to stick up...well you can fill in the rest. He added advice of telling them to come see him. Now, he said that if it was an officer that had the problem, I should start the above-mentioned statement with "Sir" or "Ma'am", with all due respect. We both had a good laugh over that, and I am still working on building my confidence with reading with the magnifying glass in front of other troops. I will never forget what 1SG Hamilton said, and the meaning behind it. We can all overcome our problems and find ways of doing things, and we should never give up. He wanted us all to do everything right and be the best, and represent the GaSDF and our Nation with pride and honor.

At every mission he always stopped by the MED/1 TOC to say hello, or to have us look at something or other, but he was always there and we knew he always had our welfare in mind.

I know we will all miss him, but we will also remember him and keep his memory alive by being the best soldiers we can, and by always helping our new soldiers along their path.

There are so many stories one can relate about this truly great man, but they would fill a book.

Hooah!!!!! 1SG Hamilton, you are the best.