About Susie Hamilton

The current Scottish Veterans Commissioner is Lieutenant Commander (retired) Susie Hamilton who took up her post on 22 August 2022.

Born and educated in Edinburgh, Susie served in the WRNS and the Royal Navy as an officer in the Marine Engineering Branch. She undertook a number of shore and sea appointments which included operational service in the Adriatic and the Gulf.

On retiring from the Royal Navy as a Lieutenant Commander she worked for a short period in industry, followed by volunteering work with Scottish Veterans Residences.  She then joined the senior management team of SVR as the Head of External Relations, responsible for Fundraising, Marketing and Communications.

In three and a half years as Scottish Veterans Commissioner, as well as meeting with many representatives of the statutory, third and private sectors, Susie has met hundreds of veterans individually and in groups.  She has completed four assessments of the Scottish Government’s progress on meeting SVC recommendations.  She has also published three thematic reports.  The first of those ‘Anything But Uniform’, explored the contribution, needs and diversity of the wider veteran community, ‘Veterans and the Law’ looked at the support in place for veterans who come in to contact with the justice system as well as the contribution of those veterans who now work within the justice system, and  ‘Veterans and Finance’ considered the specific needs of the veteran community with regard to financial advice, the benefits and pension systems and gambling harm as well as highlighting the significant impact made by veterans working in the financial sector.  Her most recent report, reviewing support for the bereaved community, was published in November 2025.