Colonel Hanson is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1976. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before being appointed an MOS 0205 Warrant Officer in 1984. He subsequently served as a team leader with the Force Imagery Interpretation Units in Cherry Point North Carolina and Iwakuni, Japan. In 1987 he was appointed as a Limited Duty Officer and was assigned to the 1st Marine Division as the unattended ground sensor platoon commander and 1st Reconnaissance Battalion intelligence officer, where he twice deployed to the Arabian Gulf and participated in Operations Earnest Will and Praying Mantis.

From 1990 to 1993, Captain Hanson served as a Branch Chief in the United States Central Command J2 Intelligence Collection Management Division, deploying in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. From 1993 to 1994 he completed his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Tampa while attending the College Degree Program. From 1995 to 1998 he returned to Camp Pendleton and commanded the Marine Corps Imagery Support Unit. From 1998 to 1999 Major Hanson attended the Post Graduate Intelligence Program, earning a Master’s degree in Strategic Intelligence and was awarded the Lyman B. Kirkpatrick Intelligence Research Award. From 1999 to 2002 Major Hanson served as a squadron executive officer and as the Air Combat Intelligence Officer with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa. From 2002 to 2005 Lieutenant Colonel Hanson was assigned to the National Capital Region where he served as a Branch Chief in the Headquarters Marine Corps Intelligence Department and he completed a one-year sabbatical as a National Security Agency Director's Fellow. In 2005 Lieutenant Colonel Hanson returned to the 1st Marine Division, serving as the Deputy G-2. From 2006 to 2007 he deployed to Iraq and served as the Combat Advisor Team Leader with the Iraqi 2nd Border Defense Brigade where he led border enforcement operations on the Iraq-Syria border. In 2007 Colonel Hanson attended the Basic Spanish Course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. In 2008 he attended la Escuela de Defense Nacional (Argentine National Defense School) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In January 2009, he again reported to the 1st Marine Division to assume the duties of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2. From 2010 to 2011 he deployed to Afghanistan as the I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) / Regional Command Southwest Director of Intelligence.

Colonel Hanson's personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with one gold star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon. He was promoted to his current rank in July 2007.