Career Mixes Army,

Education, Business

Col. West Alexander Hamilton, U. S. A.

Col. West Alexander Hamilton, native Washingtonian, has mixed the army, educa-
tion and business into a colorful three-way career during most of his 54 years.

His commission as colonel in the organized reserves, by virtue of which he commands
the 428th Infantry Reserves and the Third Corps Area''s Citizens' Military Training
Camp conducted each summer at Ft. Howard, Md., was earned through a period of
military service extending from 1905. when he enlisted in the D. C. National Guard,
and including active duty on the Mexican Border and in France.

The educational phase of his career has included teaching in elementary school in
Washington, September, 1907, until June, 1916; a brief period on the Armstrong High
School faculty, interrupted in March, 1917, by a call to World War Service, and his
present membership on the board of education for the District of Columbia, to which
he was appointed in 1937.

He has retained a partnership in the Hamilton Printing Company since 1908, devoting
his major civilian attention to that business since the war.

Col. Hamilton's civic interests are many. He is senior warden at St. Luke P. E.
Church and a member of the denomination's executive council, department of missions
and department of social service, for the diocese of Washington.

He is also a member of the board of directors of Southeast House, the committee of
management, Twelfth Street YMCA, the Washington Chamber of Commerce, board
of trustees and the executive committee of the Community Chest of Washington, East
Central Civic Association, D.C. Suffrage Association, Oldest Inhabitants, Omega Psi
Phi Fraternity, Columbia Lodge of Elks, Pythagoras Lodge, FAAM (past master) and
James E. Walker Post, American Legion (past commander).

Col. Hamilton gained the rank of Captain (Company C, 372nd Infantry) during the
World War, leading his company in a number of major battles. Following his discharge
in April, 1919, he was commissioned a captain of infantry reserves on September 19,
1919; major, March, 1924, lieutenant colonel, August, 1926, and colonel, 1983. He has
commanded the Ft. Howard CMTC battallion since 1936.

His wife is the former Miss Marcelitte C. Newton of New York whom he married
in November, 1913.